The Sound of My Voice
by Nightrous
Summary: One, whose voice cannot be heard by those around her and the Other, whose voice is refused to be heard by everyone around him. This is a story about love surrounding two broken people who have lost everything to the dark, sinful abyss but still believe there is hope for those who cling to the light. Together, they will prove even a single melody can compel people to turn and listen
1. Crimson Prelude

**THE SOUND OF MY VOICE**

 **Genres: Drama, Family, Hurt/Comfort, Fantasy, Horror**

 **Rated: M for violence and mature themes.**

 **Premise: This is essentially a story about the fatherly and daughterly love between two broken people, one who searches for his humanity and the other, who searches for her voice she again. Despite their brokenness, they are united by their unique strengths. The girl, despite having lost her voice is gifted with a prodigious affinity with music while the man, despite having lost his humanity to the monster within, is gifted with incredible willpower and exceptional physical abilities.** **Both must work together to make their voices heard by a society built to cast them aside.**

 **The story will focus on the daughter's perspective of life but the father persona will also play a major role in the daughter's psychological development.**

 **Author's Note: This is more of a warning to those who may be sensitive to graphic violence, but I _did_ specify that this story is part of the horror genre above, so some readers may feel uncomfortable especially during this first chapter. In addition, I made use of italics to depict the transition between a hazy, dreamy environment to that of a clearer, realistic atmosphere, so don't be confused! It's not a technical error. Other than that, I hope you enjoy!**

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 **"Her melody moves the soul, her silence sunders the body." – Jericho Swain**

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 **CHAPTER 1 – CRIMSON PRELUDE**

 _The blade was sharp._

 _Sharper than anything she had ever touched._

 _It cut through her, grazing her side and opening up her white dress._

 _It hurt a lot—more than anything she had ever felt._

 _A ribbon of scarlet burst forth and blossomed from where the blade had opened up her skin. The cut was deeper than she thought. Her dress was becoming soaked with the substance of life faster than she could scream. She clutched her side in vain, no longer sure of whether she was trying to stop the blood or stop the pain. As she pressed her hand into the fabrics of her torn dress, her fingers brushed against the wound and she opened her mouth to lament the pain but gave only silence._

 _The crimson life was leaving her quicker than she had ever imagined, spilling out onto the floor, overflowing through the gaps between her fingers, and staining the pale white skin on her hands._

 _It hurt—and it wouldn't stop._

' _Somebody . . . help me . . .'_ she thought.

 _There was movement in front of her. A dark, butted figure. A man . . . a man with no face. No—that couldn't be it. It was an abomination. Her blurred vision cleared for a moment and she caught a glimpse of the figure. It was a demon—a demon with wicked claws, gleaming red eyes, and blades protruding from its arms._

 _Huh?_

 _Was that her blood?_

 _Was that her blood dripping from the tip of the demon's blade?_

 _It looked fresh. It looked recent. But when did he—?_

 _The girl's wound stung from the memory. They say deep wounds only become increasingly numb and eventually, the victim will succumb to a soundless, drifting, eternal sleep. What they say—it couldn't be farther from the truth. Being cut open like that was painful. Excruciatingly so. Every time she thought the agony would finally leave her body, her muscles would seize up, the streams of blood would gush out, and her head would swim, wavering between life and the afterlife._

 _A cruel, mocking sound resembling laughter came from the swirling blackness on the demon's face, where his mouth should have been._

' _Little one. Little one.'_ It spoke in her mind. _'Little one, you can run and run, and we'll have lots of fun.'_

 _The demon moved closer to her. Slowly, but surely. As if relishing every second of terror that passed. As if feeding off her fear. Feeding off her life force that was steadily ebbing away. She stumbled backwards, a sluggish, agonizing crawl—anything to put distance between herself and that thing._

 _She opened her mouth to cry out but to her shock, only a wheezing breath without sound escaped her lips._

' _What was going on?'_ She thought. _'Why can't I—'_

 _She gave it another try, sucking in as much air as possible, opening her mouth as wide as she could, and pushing the scream out from its chains of fear—but to no avail. She was terrified. The sound that was supposed to come out was stuck to her throat, unable to move any further up, just as she was up against the wall, frozen by fright._

 _The demon was standing right before her now. He bent down, the blade on his arm retracting but the arm itself, stretching towards her in slow motion. There was no rush. Both of prey and predator knew that. But while the girl's insides churned with sickness, the demon's heart surged with murderous glee. While the girl's legs shook uncontrollably, the demon's body moved with fluid certainty. While the prey's hands trembled from the burden of holding back the curtains of death, the predator taunted her desperate attempt to cling to life and wrapped his hands around her neck._

 _He squeezed, applying a little pressure at first, then increasing his grip on the helpless child's one last lifeline. The feeling of draining the girl's life with unhurried ease sent a wave of euphoria through the demon's mind. It was the finest pleasure offered by life—the action of being in control of another's life was almost orgasmic. The demon nearly came from the thought of it._

' _Oh why of all times must my sword stand so erectly firm and stiff?' he moaned. Then, he noticed something strange with the girl's eyes—they were starting to close. She was losing her battle with death._

' _Not yet—it is too soon.' The demon thought. 'I have not harvested all that can be harvested yet.'_

 _He loosened his grip on the girl's neck and she gasped weakly. Oxygen filled her lungs again. She was alive—for now. Using the new energy to concentrate on one spot, she managed to open her eyes a bit wider compared to the slits they were before. To her surprise, the demon was changing. The darkness that shrouded him was melting away to reveal a middle-aged man underneath._

 _The man wore a ragged black dress-shirt with the top-half of its buttons undone and a pair of dirty grey pants. His hair was unkempt and filthy, and he smelled of corpses. However, he retained the gleam of red in his eyes—they glowed as if he were possessed by bloodlust. He finally spoke._

" _I've always wondered how tight a child's sacred lotus is." The man licked his lips. His erection was now clearly visible from the bulge in his pants. "But just like a flower needs water before it blooms, your little lotus needs to be wet before I can plant my seed inside you. Just like I did to your mother."_

 _The girl's eyes widened._

 _My . . . sacred . . . lotus . . . ? She wasn't completely sure what that meant, but she was nevertheless, her instincts told her that the man was about to do something terrible to her. As if reading her apprehension, the man put one hand on her stomach, holding her down and the other hand on her thigh, slowly moved it up her leg. She twitched and a shivered from the cold touch of the man's oddly smooth hand. It was a strange sensation, one she had never felt before. Despite how alien the feeling was to her, for some reason, it helped some part of her forget the pain from her wound. It was a dangerous feeling._

" _Come now. Let me take them off." The man had grabbed hold of her undergarment and was pulling them down her legs in a tantalizing fashion. She realized something was wrong with what he was doing and tried to close her knees together but the man yanked them off her effortlessly. Instinctively, her hands went down to cover her crotch even though she was not taught such a protective measure but the man only smiled wickedly and immediately began choking her again with the hand that was on her stomach. She reacted as he expected, her hands leaving her crotch to beat at his choking hand. A futile attempt to survive._

 _The man brought her panties up to his nose and sniffed them. They were as pure and untainted as he expected._

 _How lovely it was when his victims were untouched maidens of innocence. It made the experience all the more pleasurable._

 _Carelessly throwing her underwear to one side, he lifted her dress and leered at the unripe fruit before him. He didn't even feel himself drool until a drop of his saliva splattered onto his arm. The girl shut her eyes in embarrassment. Somehow, she knew her body was already being violated by the man's sinful eyes._

" _Now thy fruit shall ripen." The man growled lustfully._

 _His touch was deceivingly gentle when he rested his fingertips from his free hand on the lips of her lower orifice. The girl whimpered—the sensation was unfamiliar and it scared her profoundly. However, when he began to move his fingers up and down her orifice, she arched her back and inhaled sharply. This feeling—it was not pain or fear._

 _It was pleasure._

 _But the girl didn't know it. Because she neither rejected it nor welcomed it, she was suspended by the chains of ecstasy, unsure of whether this feeling was part of the two extremes of 'right' or 'wrong' that was imposed upon her by society. She felt warmer down there with each passing moment and . . . wetter. Her lower orifice was secreting some kind of fluid. She recalled the man's words—her lotus needed to become wet before he could plant his seed inside her. What was this wetness though, and what did he mean by his seed?_

" _You're feeling quite comfortable now aren't you, little girl?" the corner of the man's lips curved upwards and formed a fiendish smile._

" _I absolutely HATE it when my victims get too comfortable."_

 _Without warning, the man shoved two fingers inside her, piercing the heart of her femininity. The sharp, intense pain shocked the girl back into the dark reality and she suddenly found herself screaming at the top of her lungs. At the most perilous moment, her voice had returned to her. However, the man was unfazed, pulling his fingers almost all the way out of her orifice before thrusting them back in with all his might. By the fourth repetition, the girl's mind had gone blank. Tears streamed down her face as she screamed and screamed from the feeling of her womb getting torn apart._

 _The crimson essence of her life splurted from the gate between her high arches and decorated her white dress with roses and tulips and thousands of other blossoming flowers she could not name. They grew, multiplied and joined with the shifting red patterns emerging from where her side-wound spilt its own rivers of rubies, until the white canvas she wore had barely a single speck of white left._

 _The man suddenly shouted a final, savage cry and jammed his fingers as far into her orifice as he could, with as much force as he could. The girl didn't even have time to scream—she simply arched her back one last time, making a gagging noise before foaming at the mouth and convulsing violently. She stopped moving._

 _A look of elation shone malevolently on the man's face. Feeling a slight moisture where his groin was, he grinned with utter delight. There was nothing in the world that could compare to cumming when—_

" _Huh?" the man felt a bizarre coldness wash over the left side of his body. He glanced at his shoulder and found only empty space where his arm should've been._

" _HUH?!" he cried out not from pain but from bewilderment. His body was still in complete shock—it had happened so quickly that his brain could not register that pain was the appropriate response his body should have made._

 _The cut was so abrupt that the blood only began spilling out after the man started moving. Glaring at the only possible culprit of the mutilation of his limb, he cursed her with all the colours of his nation._

 _ **(palette shifts from dull shades to vivid colours)**_

"You fucking bitch—what did you do?!" the man fell back onto his behind, screaming in anguish.

Then, he heard a bloodcurdling howl at the end of the dark alley. Slowly, he turned his head towards the source of the animalistic sound and discovered a monstrous, humanoid creature whose entire body was covered with fur within his line of sight. In its right hand, it held an appendage that seemed to have been ripped off a person.

"You—! What the fuck are you?!" he shuffled backwards in terror.

The creature sniffed the air and howled again. It set its yellow eyes on the man, snarling viciously before falling on all fours. The man couldn't tell whether the creature was more man or more monster—there was some kind of pressurized machine strapped to its back and gave off an eerie neon green glow. It began to lope towards him and when there was approximately fifty meters between them, it wind up its legs and then leapt an impossible distance. The man only had time to blink once before the creature landed beside him.

" _Muerte."_ It spoke only one word before thrusting his muscular arm at the man's chest pushing him straight through the adjacent brick wall as if it were made of sand. The man landed in what looked like an empty storage room and lay still.

The creature sniffed the air again, catching a different smell in the air. It was blood—yes—but it was . . . sweet. Pure. Untainted. The scent led him to the body of a small, bloodied girl lying a few feet away. Leaning down and sniffing the girl's body, the creature growled softly. Judging from her wounds, she should be dead, but somehow, she stubbornly clung on to life and was hanging by a thread. Perhaps he should save her and bring her to a safe location to treat her wounds.

' _Hold on . . . save her?'_ the creature clutched its head with both hands, expressing confusion at the apparently new emotion. A thought ran through his mind. _'Since when were monsters capable of compassion?'_

Regardless, he felt compelled to do as his instincts told him, which for the first time in his life was not ' _kill'._ Bending down, he scooped up her frail frame into his arms finding that she was as light as a doll. Brushing off any other unnecessary, wasteful notions, he carried her off into the dark of the night.

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 **Phew! I first thought of this story concept because I wanted to try to write something darker. Though if I were to be completely honest, I had quite a stressful time writing this first chapter due to entire chapter consisting of primarily graphic violence and other extremely mature themes, but I thought it was an effective way to set the stage with a tragic introduction. I'll probably dial it down a bit next chapter :).**

 **If you liked the first Chapter, click FOLLOW to get updates on this story as soon as I upload them! If you LOVED it, then FAVORITE it! Let me know what you think so far in the Comments/Review section below!**

 **Peace!**

 **~Nightrous**


	2. Concerto of Hope

**THE SOUND OF MY VOICE**

 **Genres: Drama, Family, Hurt/Comfort, Fantasy, Horror**

 **Rated: M for violence and mature themes.**

 **Author's Note: A bit more backstory just so that we actually know what happened in the time between the past and the present. I won't spoil it for you, so go on! Enjoy the chapter yourself! Also, I'm still debating whether to use Romance as one of the genres, but I don't think it would be a major part of character development. Even if I include a bit of Romance in this story, it will be most likely only be hinted upon or made obvious only in the later stages of the plot.**

 **Just a heads up –– this story has a plot line that is extremely AU so I'll only be using a little material that is from the canon lore.**

 **I know that the first chapter was done from third-person, but that was more of an introductory device. For the remainder of the story, I'll be using POV to write from the main character's (introduced below) perspective.**

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 **"Some have described the perfect abstract that is her harmony to be Kinetic. Others prefer to use the word Concussive. But those most devoted to her music insist that the only worthy description of her music is Ethereal." – Chief Librarian of Ionian Archives**

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 **CHAPTER 2: CONCERTO OF HOPE**

My name is Sona. Born of Ionia, age of fifteen. I can speak five different languages—but what use is that when I can't say them out loud? I lost my voice when I was nine years old after a terrible incident destroyed my family and took my parents away from me. I suppose I'll tell the story to those who want to hear it—I'll have Etwahl help me. I promise I'll be brief.

On the night of December 28th, six years ago, was when it happened. My father, Orpheus, was busy composing a new piece our piano in the living room. He was a modest man, claiming to be nothing more than another common civilian, but when his fingers touched the piano, the sound that graced anyone lucky enough to be around was enlightening. He was a brilliant musician. And that night, while my mother was cooking dinner in the kitchen, I was watching my father's fingers fly across the black and white keys creating shades of gray that blossomed into warm tones conveying spring. Despite the setting of the sun, I could almost hear the birds chirping cheerfully in the background, greeting the soft, caressing wind that coaxed the beautiful pink petals of the Sakura to drift down and play with the quick-witted squirrels. Even now I can hear the faint voice of the piano, singing to me, telling me of a season of growth and prosperity to come.

Even now, I can hear my father's delicate fingers gently thumping on each key—until he suddenly missed a note. And another one. And then another one. And then he fell forward, his head slamming into the black ledge of the instrument, causing a small spray of red spreading from where his forehead collided with the piano. Shocked, I sat unmoving and confused as to how the long knife sticking out of my father's back had got there. He fell from his chair, groaning as he hit the ground.

Time start flowing again.

"Dad!" I cried. "Dad, what happened?"

My father gave me a look I had never seen before: the look of a cornered animal.

"Run—" he gasped as if even the one word were a heavy burden.

I tried to call for my mother but my voice would not cooperate. _Where had that knife—_

A dark figure stepped out of the shadows. Initially, he had no legs and instead, the bottom half of his body consisted of a murky, black mist, but as he got closer, two thin appendages grew out of the empty space under his waist. He walked straight past me as if I didn't exist at all and then, when he was a step away from my wounded father, he bent down and pulled the knife out. My father inhaled sharply.

"R-run—" he repeated, but I could not. I was frozen in place, as if the shadow of my father's attacker held me down. I watched helplessly.

The figure straddled my father, raising the sleek, silver weapon high above his head. Anyone would've known what was to follow. The figure, shrouded in a dark smoke of some sort, brought the knife down. When my father cried out in agony, the figure arched his back and made a strange, low moan. At that moment, my mother appeared around the corner, alerted by the sound of my father's cries of pain. Her eyes widening at the sight of the demonic entity, my mother shouted defiantly before rushing at it, attempting to catch it off guard. The figure simply thrust one hand at my mother and dark, claw-like tendrils shot from his fingers, piercing her limbs and stopping her in her tracks. When they retracted, blood splurted from the holes they had created and my mother collapsed.

Turning his attention back to my father, he spoke from his formless, shapeless oral orifice.

" _Doesn't it feel wonderful to have steel tear into your soft flesh? I even came from the thought of it."_

He slipped the blade out from my father's back, and then back down again with more force, and then out, and in again, cutting open my father's body. He roared with each strike like a savage beast in endless ecstasy.

" _DO—YOU—FEEL—THE—PAIN?! SAVOR IT! TREASURE IT! WANT MORE OF IT! And I will give you more, as you wish."_

Just before climaxed a second time, the figure threw the blade to one side and used his own hand, plunging it into my father's ravaged flesh. When he pulled it out again, he held a small, pulsating object dripping with a thick, sanguine fluid. My father's screams had stopped.

"O-orpheus—!" My mother had regained consciousness.

The figure glanced at her and cackled, holding my father's heart up like a trophy.

"No! Please—why—?!" my mother sobbed.

" _Oh don't worry. You'll have your fair share too. I have so much seed left and nowhere to store it."_ The figure rasped. _"How would you feel if I bestowed upon you the honor of giving birth to my child of darkness?"_

"No . . ." my mother's voice shook. "What are you planning on doing? No! You—let go of me!"

The figure easily lifted up my mother, who could only struggle feebly.

"Mom!" I cried, trying my hardest to move but it wasn't that I didn't have the energy to do so—it was the figure's doing. When I looked closely, I could see faint black tendrils strapping my legs to the ground.

"Help me, mom! I can't move!"

The figure flung my mother's body towards the wall as if she were a doll and strode towards me.

" _I'll help you move,"_ he hissed, and drove his foot into my stomach. I flew back from the blunt force, crashing into the bookshelf across the room and coughing out blood. Lying limp on the ground, I was once again watching helplessly, as the figure walked calmly back to my mother's body and lifted her up once more. He found an empty space on the wall and carried my mother there, pushing her up against it when he was close enough. In a single, swift motion, he ripped my mother's dress cleanly off, leaving not a single strip of clothing on her body.

What happened next was, to me, as a child at the time, incomprehensible.

A new, mysterious, black appendage grew out from where the figure's groin was and curved up from its base, rigid like an unripe banana. With my mother's hands on the wall, he lifted her legs up and thrust the thing into the junction between her thighs. My mother screamed as blood cascaded down her legs. He pulled back and thrust it in with equal force, repeating the action over and over again. She cried out every time he entered her, but with each stroke, her cries sounded less miserable. The figure's formless mouth morphed into a black, vile grin. He gripped my mother's bosom in each hand and massaged the dark tip at the end of each mound while slamming into her from behind, making her moan erotically.

It was all wrong. _Why did my mother sound so . . . happy? It was a mad, insane kind of joy._ I am still plagued by that thought today, six years later.

" _See? I knew you'd love it."_ The figure had jeered.

In what felt like hours later, when the figure was finished with my mother, both had orgasmed a countless amount of times. My mother's gates of fertility were defiled with a stream of thick, white fluid that continued to flow out of her endlessly. The figure's erect black appendage was covered in maroon swirls tinged with a viscous grey substance.

And I sat there, staring off into the distance, waiting to confront my fate. That night, the figure, the demon, the man—whatever he may seem to be—took me to the dark alleys of Zaun where he hurt me, violated me, and in turn, he paid dearly for his sins. The wolf-man made sure of it.

I call him Mercurius. It means ' _merciful saviour'_ in the Ionian language. He seems to have accepted the name and answers to it whenever Etwahl and I call to him. After that night, he treated my wounds and tended to me until I could walk by myself again. I have never seen or met a monster so kind. Perhaps he is the perfect embodiment of what people mean when they say 'don't judge a book by its cover'. When three months had passed and I had fully recovered, Mercurius brought me back to Ionia and intended to leave me in the care of my village but I refused to leave his side.

I mean—how could I?

I grew attached to his comforting embrace, the feeling of his soft fur brushing up against my cool skin, the warmth of his body when he let me curl up next to him on cold nights. I grew attached to how he held my frail hand in his large, paw-like hands whenever we travelled from place to place, though he mostly took me around to areas with abundant forestry, where he could conceal his monstrous body from the world.

If I stayed in Ionia, there would be no one to care for me the way he did. Don't get me wrong—he was nothing like a father to me. Or a brother. Or a guardian of sorts. He was not forceful; he was compelling. He was not violent; he was protective of the weak. He was simply my friend, regardless of when I least needed him, or when I most needed him. My best friend.

When he realized I was defiantly insistent on following him, he let me accompany him to Valoria City, the ruling capital of Runeterra. It was situated at the epicenter of all the surrounding nations, existing almost as if it was its own state.

Mercurius helped me register for a school there, and it wasn't until the first day that I discovered he had entered me into the most prestigious school for youths: Valoran Academy for the Exceptionally Gifted. How he did so, I still have absolutely no clue to this day, but regardless, I was overwhelmed with gratefulness. However, when I entered, I was ten years old, and still a naïve girl at best—a blissfully ignorant one at that. I didn't realize that society treated people like me with contempt and spite, offering no pity to the weak and in no time, I became the target of every scheme and practical joke there was to be played. I would walk home every day, with a bruise on my cheek or a swollen bump on my shin.

The worst were the cuts. Some of the students harbored intensely malicious notions towards me for no apparent reason and when witnesses were lacking, they used sharp objects, be it rocks, branches, or even broken glass. They threw them at me. They swung them at me. They even tried to stab me when I wasn't looking. Maybe it was because I was a foreigner to them. Maybe it was because I seemed weak and undeserving of a position at the Academy.

But it was most likely because I never made a sound. Well—I couldn't even cry for help if I wanted to. When they hurt me, I let them. I didn't shed a single tear, didn't struggle, and didn't show any sign of pain. After all, these attacks were all petty compared to the horror I had experienced that fateful night. Those students hated me for it. They could push me around, kick me around, and cut me all up, but they could never even scratch what was deeper within.

I hid my scars well.

Being the incredibly sensitive beast he was though, Mercurius eventually found out that I was being physically assaulted by the students and became furious, but I managed to convince him to endure it with me. I convinced him to caress me as gently as he always would and dress my wounds as softly as he always would, instead of seeking vengeance—and he complied.

Fortunately, I made a friend in my first year of high-school at the Academy—that is, last year. It was the day before the first day of school—the last day of our summer break. When I'm not studying at the Academy, Mercurius and I live in the outskirts of Navori, a region located in the southern Ionian mainland. I spend most of my free days playing Etwahl, plucking at the magical strings of the ancient instrument and attracting a myriad of small animals to the bench where I usually sit. An old dirt path lies nearby, though people rarely use it due to its remote location.

That day, I sat there, legs crossed with Etwahl resting on my lap, and fingers dancing across the strings that sang of the end of summer, when she appeared out of nowhere. One moment, I was alone with the squirrels, rabbits, and birds, and the next moment, she materialized out of thin air. She and her long, silky black hair flowing behind her, with two isolated tails in front of each shoulder both tied at the end with a cute red ribbon, was suddenly walking towards me. She was wearing a dark sleeveless mini dress with a black collar and a red bowtie, along with crimson gauntlets, black gloves, long black socks, and black shoes. Startled, I stopped playing and rested my hands on Etwahl to stop its resonating melody.

I recognized her. She was from class 2-A, and had everything any student could ever wish for. She was extremely athletic, academically proficient to the degree of achieving the top score in almost every subject, and ranked 2nd overall in the Academy, losing only to the hottest guy in the school—a blond student named Ezreal. There was no doubt that she was one of the most popular students in the entire Academy.

Of course, at the time, I was quite nervous. I still remember that day quite clearly.

 _What's a model student like her doing in a remote place like this?_ I had thought to myself. _Wasn't she supposed to be spending her summer training with the Academy's most accomplished professors and alumni, along with the other top 10 students?_

The part of her I was most surprised about though was the fact that she chose not to conceal her face. In class, she always wore a tight blue undershirt with long sleeved, layered white garments overtop, white pants, and a white ninja's mask covering her hair and face, leaving only her light-blue eyes visible. During combat drills, she always wore her classic red garments with silver-grey armor overtop, covering her face with a steel mask and her hair with the red hood attached to her garments. Never once did she show her face in public and rarely did she ever speak.

But here she was, nonchalantly striding towards me, smiling at me with a relaxed, carefree expression. I didn't really understand. She had such a beautiful face, and yet, she chose to hide it and hence, deceive others of her true gender. It was no surprise that, with her proficiency in combat, many automatically assumed she was a boy.

"Hey!" she waved at me enthusiastically. "S-sona, right? Your name is Sona, right?"

I nodded and tried to smile back as naturally as I could.

"You . . . uh . . . you're the girl who can't really _talk_ right?" She was trying to be nice. I appreciated it, nevertheless, it stung at my heart. "I-I mean, but you're amazing at music, right?"

I nodded again, shyly this time, and gestured at Etwahl.

"Hmm, I didn't expect to anyone I knew from the Academy to actually find me out here though—without my masks and all . . . so this complicates things." She ran her hands through her hair.

 _Oh no._ I had thought. _Here it comes. Here comes the part where she tries to hurt and threaten me to keep her secret._

"I know! Why don't you keep it a secret for me, Sona?" she smiled good-naturedly. "After all, that's what friends do for one another, right?"

I was comforted, to say the least. Not because of her kind, friendly words, but because I could confirm for myself that there was indeed, a smile behind the mask. That there was kindness hiding behind the various facades and doors of opportunities waiting to be opened. The key to those doors, I discovered, was my music. I was then determined—if truly necessary—to sway the world with my music, plucking heartstrings and breaking the chains of social imposition.

That day, she became my first companion at the Academy. She would go on to protect me from the countless attempts to hurt me and help me improve in both my studies and in combat. She would play with me and listen to me and Etwahl create harmonies of spring, summer, autumn and winter. She became the first girl my age that I could trust without holding back.

But most importantly, that day, I became the first person to discover that Zed was in fact, a girl.

Of course, as promised I kept my lips shut. I consider myself to be quite the loyal friend.

Besides—I couldn't even say anything if I wanted to.

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 **I forgot to mention in the A/N above that because I'm writing from a girl's POV, I enlisted the help of a fellow writer I know in real life. For privacy purposes, she has created her own pen name. Here she is!**

* * *

 **Hey everyone! I'm Miria and I've agreed to help Nightrous with this story. He's explained to me most of the plot line so I know the general direction of where it's heading, but I'm mostly here to help with the character interaction and provide some female insight into the creation and development of the MC. I hope you enjoy this new project that he and I are working on (and of course, give me more credit than him :P)!**

 **Since Nightrous is too lazy to end this chapter off** **— he literally dropped the laptop on my lap and said "you finish it" before running off to get food —** **I'll do it for him (smh). If you're liking what you're reading so far, FOLLOW us! If you're loving what you're reading so far, don't hesitate to FAVORITE us! Leave a comment in the Comments/Review section below to let us know what you think of the story!**

 **Signing out,**

 **Miria (and Nightrous)**


	3. The Fervent Sonata

**THE SOUND OF MY VOICE**

 **Genres: Drama, Family, Hurt/Comfort, Fantasy, Horror**

 **Rated: M for violence and mature themes.**

 **Author's Note:**

 **Hey readers, it's Miria!**

 **Just in case you've forgotten, I'm mainly in charge of the character development of the MC and the character interaction (I leave most of the grisly stuff and mature content to Nightrous). As such, I'm still discussing with Nightrous whether to incorporate Romantic elements into the story though we are dropping hints here and there just so we can go back, pick them up and put them into full throttle if we really decide to go along with the Romance tag.**

 **If you've got any input on this aspect, feel free to tell us what you feel in the Comments section! You can even send us a PM if you're more comfortable that way ^_^.**

 **That aside, I don't want to hold you up for too long! Here's the next chapter!**

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 **"Only you can hear me, Master. What masterpiece shall we play today?"** **– Apollo "Etoile" Harmonius**

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 **CHAPTER 3 – THE FERVENT SONATA**

The sun shone in the clear, late-noon sky, edging closer to the horizon in a slow, unhurried manner. Its position allowed for its rays of light to pierce through the cracks between the red oaks' leaves. The wind blew inconsistently, occasionally altering their paths of light, and creating a beautiful pattern of yellow and red on the ground. Underneath the cover of the gazebo built at the center of the courtyard, ten young students dressed in formal-wear sat around a round table inside the wooden structure. I stood off to the side, behind _her_.

"Remind me why we have this boring meeting again? The new term just started yesterday for us and we already have work to do?" one girl complained.

"That's precisely _why_ we have work to do. Being on the Elite Ten, I'd expect you to know that, Regalia. We need to ensure each student is achieving the scores that are expected of them, so we need to go through all their test and examination scores from last year. That is our responsibility as the Elite Ten." Ezreal answered cheerfully. The girl standing behind him stifled a laugh.

"But . . . but . . ." Regalia looked pleadingly at our 121st Generation, Rank No. 1, Ezreal. The blond-haired boy shook his head.

"Sorry Regalia, you know that we can't refuse a direct order from the Board. So let's do our best!" He smiled encouragingly.

"At least . . . hey—I thought I made it clear not to call me by my first name!" Regalia pouted.

While the two of them continued to discuss the matter with the other students, Zed motioned for me to come forward. I walked up to Zed and bent down, leaning my head in, my ears close to her mouth. She whispered to me.

"Sona."

" _Yes, milady_?" my mouth formed the words but only a faint, desperate breath came out.

It's been six years, six years since that night, and six years since that man took my voice from me. It took that long for my voice-box to begin healing, even with magical treatment. Right now, I could only manage a feeble whisper at best. Every word took so much effort.

"I told you many times not to call me that—geez, it's embarrassing." Her cheeks turned to a rosy tinge.

" _My apologies, milady._ "

"Sona—! Forget it, could you just bring me some tea?" she grumbled and I smiled.

" _Of course. I'll be right back."_ I said, exiting the gazebo. As I headed towards the Academy's Tea House located at the edge of the courtyard, the Headmistress and Professor Revan, who we jokingly dubbed the 'Bald Blue Raisin', walked towards me, heading towards the direction of the gazebo. I stopped and bowed as they passed by and they nodded in response. It was a tradition of respect towards our elders and figures of authority in Valoran, one that is shared in many other nations as well.

Arriving at the Tea House, I stepped inside gingerly, careful not to anger anyone, grabbed the necessary tea leaves, and began heating up the water. As I waited, I recalled the most familiar faces among the ten students sitting around the Academy's 'Round Table' and their attendants.

Taliyah of Shurima. Rank No. 4 in our year and No. 10 on the Elite Ten. Nobody knows her real name, and if our Academy Instructors or Professors did, they didn't bother telling us. Known as the Stoneweaver for her incredible ability to _literally weave stone together_ and manipulate the forces of the earth _._ She's an unusually kind and forgiving girl but because of her dangerous powers, many students fearfully avoid her.

Regalia "Luxanna" Crownguard. Rank No. 3 in our year and holds an unknown position on the Elite Ten. It is no surprise that I have no knowledge of her rank on this Council; The Elite Ten keep their ranks a low profile to prevent public scrutiny. She prefers to be called Lux by those who know her personally but to the rest of the students, she is known as the Lady of Demacia. Aside from her keen intellect, irrepressible curiosity, and unceasing restlessness though, not a single student in the school knows how she made it into the Elite Ten. Her combat examination was held in private, with only the Headmistress and Professors of the Academy present, and its result, sealed confidentially.

Zed, my one friend and the girl who I serve despite her insistent disapproval, also has no other known name. Ranked No. 2 in our year and No. 9 on the Elite Ten, she is known across the Academy as the Shadow's Enigma because besides me, no one else has ever seen the face underneath her mask.

Ariel "Akali" Midori. The girl standing behind Ezreal is Rank No. 5 in our year and Ezreal's attendant. Known as the Fist of Shadow for her mastered proficiency in martial arts and trained by the Kinkou Order since she was three years old. Always keeps her Twin Kamas by her side. With her exceptional intellect and looks, the only reason she is not sought after by the males in our year is due to her reputation as a shy introvert.

Elliot "Ezreal" Koehler. Rank No. 1 in our year and holds an unknown position on the Elite Ten. Known as The Prodigious Explorer for his discovery of multiple lost artifacts before the age of eleven, most renowned of those discoveries: Ne'Zuk's Gauntlet. Near-genius level intellect. Extremely athletic. And undeniably attractive. It is said that girls grow hot and bothered from simply catching a glimpse of his golden-blond hair but I don't think I'm one of those girls. To me, he's on a pedestal so far up that I would have to squint my eyes just to see his silhouette.

Setting the crushed tea leaves into the teapot and pouring the boiled water into it, I placed the pot onto a wooden tray next to the ceramic tea-cup, held the tray tightly, and brought it back out into the courtyard. As several students walked past me, they gave me dirty looks. I was already used to it, but it does slightly irk me from time to time. Tightening my grip on the tray, I tried my best to block out their whispering voices and subtle glances and climbed the steps to the gazebo. At the same time, two girls descended the steps.

" _Sucking up to Zed—"_ one of them whispered.

" _Undeserving mute—"_ the other spat.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath but my hands could not stop shaking. Something like a flame burned within me. They say regardless of how quiet you are on the inside, it does not stop your heart from being a raging sea of passion. That passion can be for anything. It can be for love. For music. For your family. Even for anger.

 _No, no, no—I can't think like this. What has music taught me? To accept weakness and convey it to the audience with the melody of a song, not with fists of vanity. Vengeance will get me nowhere._

I set the tray down, placed Zed's cup before her and poured tea into it. She put a hand on mine and looked at me. _I didn't realize my hand was still shaking._ I could feel her kind smile comforting me behind her mask. Immediately, my heart took heed of her wordless message and calmed.

" _Cursed wretch."_ The whisper came from behind me.

I was tempted to turn around but I resisted.

" _She probably used some dirty trick to get to Zed's side."_ Closing my eyes again and clenching my teeth, I struggled to keep my breathing steady. Inevitably, I began to fantasize the many ways I could cause harm to the gossiping girls.

" _I should be the one as her attendant—not that contemptuous bitch."_

I squeezed my eyes shut, tight enough for a tear to trickle down my cheek.

Zed suddenly squeezed my hand, bringing me back to reality.

"Ignore them," she said, squeezing my hand again. "You have me, and that's all that you need. I'll protect you."

I smiled gratefully at her and bowed my head slightly, but suddenly noticed someone's gaze on us. Looking up, Ezreal was silently examining us with a strange look on his face. I guess he's never seen Zed display anything except cold indifference. Blushing, I shuffled back to the back of the gazebo, watching the Elite Ten discuss their matters once again.

 **. . .**

"That will conclude today's meeting. Good work everyone. I will see you all tomorrow." Professor Revan, the supervisory instructor of the Elite Ten stood up and started packing his papers back into his briefcase.

"Ahh, it feels good to finally stretch my arms." Lux—I guess I'll be referring to her by her nickname too from now on—yawned and exhaled, making a child-like noise. To be honest, it was sort of cute.

Ezreal stood by exit of the gazebo and bowed as the upperclassman walked out one by one. It was customary for the juniors to let the senior students exit a room first, hence his obligatory gestures.

"I'll see you tomorrow." Ezreal nodded respectfully as the last of the senior students took his leave.

"Sona."

I turned around, astonished. Nobody had ever called my name at school except Zed or the Instructors.

"Sona, over here. I need to speak with you about something."

It was Ezreal. He was motioning for me to come over. I glanced at Zed, who shrugged and nodded. I walked over nervously.

"So um—" Ezreal hesitated for a moment when I stood beside him. "What exactly is your relationship with Zed?"

I raised my eyebrows and tilted my head confusedly.

"I-I mean . . . are you two in a _relationship_?" Ezreal made a series of meaningless gestures, like an orator attempting to prove a point.

My eyebrows went higher and I stepped back. I shook my head slowly. _She's a girl, you idiot,_ I wanted so badly to tell him, but I remembered my promise to Zed.

"O-oh, my apologies. Excuse me for making weird assumptions." Ezreal said with modesty. Was he—was he getting flustered? I turned around and covered my mouth to hide a smirk, walking back to my milady.

If he's after milady, the most he'll get is a cold glance.

" _Milady,"_ I leaned close to Zed and said in my whispery voice. " _Milady, be wary of those who seek your hand without truly wanting to understand what lies beneath."_

"What nonsense are you mumbling about now, Sona?" Zed laughed softly.

My god, if Ezreal heard her laugh like this, no wonder he fell in love instantly. It charms even these musical-inclined ears of mine.I froze.

Wait.

Does this mean Ezreal already knows of Zed's true gender? But why then, did he assume we were in a relationship? Unless . . . unless he was testing me to confirm his suspicions of Zed as a female student. This might be a complication—I'll have to observe from afar to see if he knows more than he's supposed to.

" _Apologies, milady. Let me get your bags for you."_

Zed sighed and grabbed her own bag. "You don't have to, Sona. And stop calling me milady—what kind of friend calls their friend milady?"

" _Please milady, let me."_

"Sona it's fine—"

I smiled and ignored her, taking her bag from her hand. She loosened her grip on the bag, letting me take it.

She sighed again, shaking her head but still smiling back.

"Thanks, Sona." Zed whispered, slipping her arms under my arms and hugging me from behind. "You know, I'm so glad I met you last summer."

" _M-milady?"_ I reddened.

"It wasn't a bad choice after all, sharing the burden of my identity. Despite my rank, I couldn't make any real friends because I had to hide who I was." She continued.

" _Of course, milady. I'll be by your side for as long as you want me to be."_

Poor girl. I mean—I was ostracized because of my weakness and inability to communicate with others, but she . . . she has everything that any student would ever want at this stage in life, but the one precious, simple part of life that she truly desires, she cannot have. Companionship.

" _I'm glad I met you too, Zed."_ She brightened up as I said her name.

"Sona . . . say it again." She said eagerly.

" _Say w-what again?"_ I asked.

"My name. Say my name again."

" _Zed."_ I said in my silent, almost inaudible voice.

Zed squealed quietly with excitement as if a little girl as to not alert Ezreal, who was still standing by the exit of the gazebo polishing his gauntlet with a small cloth.

 _Yeah._ No matter how cold she is on the outside, she's still a teenage girl on the inside. And it's my job to protect that innocence and purity. I will not let the likes of men or vile creatures taint her heart.

That is my sole purpose at this Academy.

I looked at the blood-orange globe of a star in the sky. The Sun was setting rapidly, closing in on the horizon, sending streaks of purple and indigo across the blue expanse.

 _Thank-you._

 _Thank-you for giving me purpose, Mercurius._

 **. . .**

He told me the only way to get my voice back was to make my voice heard.

He never said I had to use my own voice.

 _Mercurius. This is for you. I hope you're listening._

The lights dimmed and the chatter faded with it. The first sound . . .

The first sound marked the beginning. The second sound signified the intent to continue. The third sound declared that there was a story to be told. A consistent beat began to emerge, forming a tempo. My fingertips began to dance an easy waltz on its magical wires.

 _I shall paint a picture with Etwahl._ The beat shall sound again, as if calling to them. The audience. They will find themselves within the world I have created for them. Within my story. Some will find themselves trying to feel their way to the meager light down a hallway. Some will have the courage to continue marching forward, towards what appeared to be the front door. Taking slow, cautious steps. With their left hand trailing the wall, they will progress without disruption until . . .

Until they feel its breath.

 _They will find themselves within the notes._

I can almost feel their fear.

Their hands shrink back in panic, startled. Whatever it was, it was definitely powerful. Dormant, yes— but ready to erupt.

 _They will find themselves within the chords._

I could tell what they were thinking. After all, I was the narrator of the story. I was the artist of the painting. Their thoughts swiftly assumed the worst. _A beast?_

The air suddenly began growing hot, reflecting in the tensing atmosphere. _The beast was awakening._ The colours of the _painting_ accented from each time I stroked Etwahl. It was bright even for me. I moved my right hand to pet Etwahl and convince it to tone down but somehow, inadvertently, triggered an explosion of searing white light.

Throwing my fingers onto Etwahl, I changed the setting before everything could fall apart. _It was too early._ The scenery changed—the sound of a distant wind tickled my senses. A bird, chirping to the morning breeze flew overhead. The heat was no longer unbearable. My skin felt quite comfortable. Almost _cozy._ I felt an urge to forget about everything. Close my eyes. Fall into a timeless slumber. Before I succumbed to the lull of the soothing warmth though, there came a high note. Clear and above the rest. Reminding me of the first sounds.

Reminding me of the beast.

And reminding me that I needed to feed it. With each note, the melody climbed. With each beat, the heat managed to fuel itself and the dormant beast finally awakened. Its jaws unhinged lazily, as if yawning—then abruptly flew wide open and roared, sending a flare of chords and arpeggios that melted the audience's senses into nothingness.

 _As usual, they found themselves back within my music._

When I began playing on Etwahl again, a miraculous thing happened. I felt their sense of hearing return first. A complex mixture of sounds coaxed their consciousness—the first distinguishable sound was of a harsh accent, as if someone was scratching sandpaper.

The audience—each and every one of them were on the ground. They were in their seats but at the same time, they were lying on a cold stone road. Rain pounding down upon them, rapidly creating puddles around them. This was the power of Etwahl. This was what it—no—what _we_ are capable of creating. This is the picture we paint with our song. Hear our song, oh people of Valoran!

Hear the sound of raindrops diving into the puddles next to your ears. Let the raindrops become the rhythm of drums, constant and unyielding. Another droplet and another, now it shall become an orchestra. Open your eyes now!

There is only one of me. You will only see me . . . and a whole stage of assorted instruments with no musicians to operate them. They will produce music nevertheless. It is a superficial drawback.

Waving my hand to the left, I commanded the shadows at the back of the stage to take their positions. The dark, soundless figures obediently took to their seats by their respective instruments. Waving my other hand to the right, I conjured a shapeless silhouette that gradually solidified into a distinct figure. A pianist.

The pianist played a harmonious melody. His hands, his fingers gracefully danced across a new dimension of black and white strokes. Each note corresponded with a cold tingle at my own fingertips. Each chord mirrored the frigid feeling of submersion in a body of water. Each scale reflecting a thousand raindrops relentlessly pounding at my back.

Then, I saw it. That last raindrop, falling across my path. It made contact just as thunder struck and silenced a thousand thoughts, pushing me—pushing _them_ , the ones that were listening—back to the surface. My arms flailed in a wild motion then stopped and I gasped for air, having held my breath for ages. I stood there, frozen in awe and shivering in the downpour of the sky's tears.

The silence was intimidating.

Nervously, I placed my palms on the strings of my precious Etwahl. They stopped vibrating and relaxed from the tension. I turned to face the people who waited for me, bowing with that fickle instrument by my side.

 **. . .**

The roaring applause followed me as I smiled and waved to the audience, slowly edging my way to the hidden door at the side, carrying Etwahl in my arms as if it were my child. Bowing one last time, I disappeared off the stage, into the shadows.

When I was finally out of sight, my smile disappeared and my shoulders slumped. I sunk to my knees, legs shaking and used one hand to wipe my brow of sweat. My hands trembled so much I was forced to clench them into fists and shut my eyes as if to shut out the anxiety. A wave of nausea suddenly hit me and I fell forward causing Etwahl to slip off my thighs onto the ground. My palms hit the cold floor before I could fully face-plant into the wooden planks but my arms shook too, weakening by the second.

My breathing became ragged and desperate, my lungs unable to withstand the pressure of providing the oxygen that my body desperately needed. The lack of light backstage didn't help the fact that I was slowly losing my sight. I was slowly blacking out. Then, before I fully collapsed, someone caught me in their arms, letting me lean my head on their shoulder. I felt something press against my chest and for some reason, my face grew hot.

It was a girl.

Pressing my face into her soft clothes, I instinctively breathed in their scent. The smell of the autumn wind and mellow, light vanilla entered my nose. It smelt so nice. This scent—it was familiar. It was—

"Sona. It's okay . . . I'm here. You can relax now. You played amazingly out there." Zed's tender whisper graced my ears. Her embrace was like that of an angel's. I could almost fall asleep—

"I listened to the entire performance. I'd say it was worthy for my birthday, don't you think?"

My eyes shot open and I tried to move, but my legs gave way and I fell back into Zed's arms.

" _I-I'm so sorry, I completely forgot to get you a present milady—"_ I began to apologize profusely but Zed placed a finger on my lips, silencing me.

"Shh . . . don't force yourself to speak. You're already exhausted as it is. Plus—like I just said, your performance out there was more than a gift in itself." Zed stroked my hair and my servant-act instantly melted. I snuggled my head up against her neck, breathing in her scent again like it was some sort of drug.

"If you're really intent on giving me a birthday gift yourself, you can just . . ." Zed drifted off and I felt her shift under me. I didn't realize what she was doing until I felt her soft lips slowly, apprehensively, brush up against mine. It was a fleeting moment. As soon as our lips touched, they parted.

"There—you've made up for it. That'll be your present to me this year, for my sixteenth birthday." She said playfully. "Don't worry, nobody saw us. It's too dark for anyone to notice.

Only after she finished her sentence did I realize how quickly my heart was beating. Goodness—I didn't realize how tired I was. The concert must have taken a great toll on my mental stability. Then again, I'm not too surprised. It had been like this since my first public concert with Etwahl, after much convincing from Zed. It was the same every time. The overwhelming fatigue was almost a constant after every performance.

Zed . . . she . . .

She smells _so_ nice.

Did I say that already?

She smells so . . . huh? Why is my breathing getting slower? It's as if my consciousness is gradually . . . slipping . . . _into the abyss and . . . and . ._ .

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 ***Sigh* . . . I know you can't hear the music but hopefully, the imagery was sufficient to demonstrate Sona's passion and vision. If I had to pick a piece that resembles what Nightrous and I were trying to describe, "Kara no Kyoukai - Garden of Sinners" (Pandora Heaven's Edit) would be pretty close, but I'm sure that there are several other songs that are just as fitting, or even more so. If you're interested, the exemplary song I mentioned is within one of Pandora's compilations "2-Hour Anime Mix - Best of Anime Soundtracks | Emotional Ride - Epic Music".**

 ****Pandora Heaven is a YouTuber who creates amazing anime soundtrack compilations so if you're a fan of such things, check the channel out!**

 **If you're liking what you're reading so far, FOLLOW us! If you're loving what you're reading so far, don't hesitate to FAVORITE us! Leave a comment in the Comments/Review section below to let us know what you think of the story!**

 **Signing out,**

 **Miria (and a lazy bum named Nightrous :P)**

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 **Next Chapter:** **CHP. 4 - THE DEATH OF A SECRET**

 **SEE YOU THEN!**


	4. The Death of a Secret

**THE SOUND OF MY VOICE**

 **Genres: Drama, Family, Hurt/Comfort, Fantasy, Horror**

 **Rated: M for violence and mature themes.**

 **Author's Note: For those who might be confused, the first part of this chapter is from third-person POV, the second (longer) part returns to Sona POV. Enjoy!**

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 ** _"Good and evil are not truths. They are born from men and each perceives the shades differently."_** **–** ** _Damian Kusho_**

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 **CHAPTER 4: THE DEATH OF A SECRET**

A dark hall. Dirty floor. Grimy walls. A man ran towards a door that looked like it was hastily put together using old wooden planks at the end of the narrow hall. He reached the door and tried to force it open but it wouldn't budge. It was barred shut from the outside by a metal pole. He looked with widened eyes at the larger man who followed right behind him.

"It's been locked again—someone was here! Someone locked it from the outside when we were still inside the building." He said, panting. "Come on, what are you waiting for?! You can just blast a hole in it with your Hextech Canon!"

"What the hell are you talking about?" the larger man said in a deep, gruff voice. "You want to get us both killed?"

"Just do it!" the first man was terrified. "Or we're going to die anyways! Oh fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck! I knew we shouldn't have taken this deal with Edward."

" _He_ doesn't know where we are yet. Stop panicking." The larger man glared at his partner. "If I blast a hole through the door, it's going to make too much noise."

"H-he's going to find us . . . he's going to find us if you don't open the fucking door!" The smaller man grabbed his partner's shirt collar desperately. "Please! Just get us out of here!"

Suddenly, they heard a roar in the distance and the faint sound of clinking metal. It seemed to get closer every second. Both men stared at each other with fear in their eyes.

"Oh fuck this." The larger man aimed his Hextech canon at the wooden door and squeezed the trigger three times and the door exploded into green flames. When the flames died down, the door was cracked in a million places. He pushed his partner to the side. "Get out of the way!"

The larger man rammed into what was left of the door, which shattered into splinters, and was met with a narrow alley, stretching perpendicular to the hall they had come from.

"Which way?!" the first man tumbled out and covered his mouth. The air was filled with a suspicious greyish-green haze.

"Shut up and follow me." The larger man began to run towards the right but something glowing with a green aura suddenly whizzed by overhead. It was gone the next moment.

"W-w-what was that?" the first man could barely speak without stuttering now. Regardless, it was a silly question. They both knew what it was.

"T-the other way." The larger man said slowly. Then he shouted. "The other way—come on!"

They both turned and sprinted in the opposite direction. The larger man accidentally knocked over a stack of barrels, which tumbled over and spilled a viscous, brown liquid onto the metal floor. The floor sizzled and its surface melted away. Concentrated, unrefined liquid Zaunite. The first man ducked under a pipe and tried to step over the liquid but as he did so, hot steam shot out of another pipe to his left. He flinched, losing his balance and dropping to his knees into a puddle of one of the most acidic substances in all of Runeterra. The liquid Zaunite burned through his pants instantly and seared the skin right off his knee.

"Aagh!" he cried out while blood dripped from the exposed flesh. "Help me!"

Using his other leg, he managed to get back on his two feet and hobble towards the stairs at the end of the alley but at the same time, he heard a guttural sound come from above him. Right above him.

"No—!" the man screamed but did not even finish before his throat was cut open by a sharp metal claw. The claw belonged to the beast that now stood with one foot on the dead man's chest.

" _Filthy . . . blood."_ It snarled as its pointed snout sniffed the air. " _Dis . . . gusting mutts."_

It kicked the man's head, which flew straight off and smashed into the wall, causing a crimson mess that splattered in all directions. The man's severed neck spilt a darker, coarser red which mixed with the liquid Zaunite and created an awful stench.

" _Filthy!"_ the beast howled and then bent over, revealing the brutal machinery strapped to his back. The device's main compartment consisted of a canister filled with a suspicious green liquid which suddenly turned orange. The beast roared again as the veins on his fur-covered back seemed to bulge and surge with the orange liquid—the liquid had somehow entered his body through an unknown hole in his body. It fell forward, managing to stay upright by supporting its body with its two metallically-clawed hands. However, the beast seemed to be in pain, making a feral cry that echoed throughout the alleys of Zaun.

Meanwhile, the other, larger man who had survived and run several hundred meters was about to climb into a manually-operated lift that could be used to cross the Zaunite ravine to the city's main gate. That was, until he heard the cry of the beast. He dropped his Hextech canon and sighed hopelessly.

"So—this is the despair that they talk about. This is the uncaged wrath of Zaun."

He could now hear the sound of footsteps coming up behind him but he didn't bother turning. It was the sound of hind-paws against concrete.

" _Blood . . . Hunt."_ The beast rasped before ripping out the man's heart. As the man dropped dead into the chamber of the lift that would have been his salvation, the beast let out another primal howl.

" _My . . . Eternal . . . Hunger . . . shall never . . . be satisfied."_

 **. . .**

The last thing I remember was falling into a dark abyss. Before that . . . I'm not sure . . . I think I was in a bright room of some sort? Or—a lit stage of some sort? I was . . . I was . . . oh right. I was at a concert. I was . . . performing? The picture in my head is starting to come together. I had Etwahl on my lap. I was playing for an audience. And after that . . . I went backstage and . . . lost consciousness. Someone was taking care of me . . . someone . . .

Is it just me or is it getting really hard to breathe . . .? It's getting really hard to—

I gagged as an invisible rope seemed to tighten around my neck. _Somebody . . . please . . . it hurts . . ._

" _Zed!"_ my sorry excuse for a whisper cried out vainly. _"Zed, where are you?"_

I opened my eyes to nothing but darkness. My eyes were starting to tear up and my neck—what is this familiar feeling—it was the feeling of getting crushed. The image of a man with a crazed grin crossed my mind and I flinched. _Isn't there anyone to help me . . .?_

"It's okay, baby, I'm here. Don't cry." A soothing voice whispered next to my ears. Then, a tender hand swept the hair in my face aside, resting on my cheek. With my hair out of my eyes, I saw a woman in a plain dress wearing a kitchen apron over it sitting in a wooden chair by my bedside. She smiled affectionately and the expression sent a feeling of warmth and ease through my body. Her long, brown hair bounced weightlessly as she moved—she was like an angel.

"Close your eyes, baby. You need some rest."

I obeyed naturally.

"There's my _beautiful_ little baby Sonata. I'll be right here if you need me." The woman cupped my hands in her's and looked lovingly at me. "Don't you fret, baby. Even if I'm not with you, you'll always find me in your heart."

 _Is it possible? Is that you m—_

I sat straight up and my eyes shot open.

" _Mom?!"_ My whisper of a voice was louder than it had ever been in six years but all I saw when I awoke was a hulking figure illuminated by the moonlight seeping through my window, frozen by surprise.

"Relax," he murmured in his gruff voice. "It's only me, Mercurius."

" _Oh."_ I was disappointed. _"What are you doing in my dorm, Mercurius?"_

"I just dropped by to check if you were doing alright, and—" Mercurius hesitated and shook his head.

" _And . . .?"_ I prompted him to continue. He let out a heavy sigh that sounded more like a soft growl.

"I still can't find that man from that night. I can't believe he survived—" Mercurius paused when he realized that his metallic claws were in the moonlight and quickly tried to hide them behind him. But I already saw the stains on their silver surface. Stains of dried blood.

" _You were out 'hunting' again, weren't you?"_ My mouth formed a thin line.

"Sona, I can explain—" he began, but I interrupted him.

" _It's fine, I'm not angry._ "

"You're not?" his feral eyes had lost their savage gleam and instead, they almost looked like that of a hopeful puppy.

I smiled. " _I told you before—how could I be angry at you when I know you're doing this for me? Just . . . I'd prefer if you kept the killing to a minimum._ "

"Sona . . ." Mercurius crouched down next to my bed and bowed his head, brushing his furry snout against my neck. I wrapped my arms around his thick neck and embraced his warmth.

" _I wish they weren't so scared of you._ " I breathed _"They need to know that you've one of the kindest, most caring hearts out of anyone."_

"I'm a monster, Sona, they'd never accept me." He said bitterly.

" _You're a saviour, Mercurius. Your appearance doesn't make you any less of a man."_

"Sona . . . look at how much you've grown. How gentle and gracious you've come to be." Mercurius said in a voice that was almost akin to purring.

" _I take after you."_

Mercurius rose and my arm followed his hide until it was out of my reach before letting my arm drop to my side once more.

"Stay safe, Sona." Mercurius nodded one last time before leaping out of my open windows, back into the cover of the night.

 _Mother . . ._ The memory of her still filled my every essence. _I wish you were still here._

Feeling a slight itch in my nose, I sneezed, and in doing, another scent entered my nostrils. It smelt faintly of fire-wood and dried leaves. It smelt of Mercurius. _Oh that's right_ —if my parents hadn't died, I wouldn't have met him. I wouldn't have met the poor, wandering lonely soul who fought as a vigilante of the night but was feared by even those of goodness and righteousness. Never to be truly understood.

 _Mercurius . . ._

The thought of him accompanied me until I drifted off into a deep sleep once again.

 **. . .**

 _Tap. Tap. Tap._

What was that sound? It was such a familiar beat to my ears, yet so incomprehensible.

 _Tap. Tap. Tap._

They were faster now. I groaned on the inside and rolled over onto my back, kicking the sheets towards the end of the bed.

 _Tap. Tap. Tap._

 _Alright, alright, I'm coming,_ I mentally answered as I grabbed an oversized shirt from my desk-chair and threw it over my undergarments. Opening the door, I rubbed my weary-eyes and was greeted by a nervous-looking Lux. Lux was rarely ever nervous or jumpy.

"Uhh . . . Sona, right?"

I nodded.

"We're about to have an unscheduled high-priority assembly right now. Zed asked me to ask you to get down to the main courtyard as quick as you can."

" _Who?"_ I rasped.

"Sorry, what?" Lux leaned forward. I pinched the bridge of my nose and tapped the floor with my foot impatiently. The early-morning wake-up call had turned my already barely-audible voice to that of complete inaudibility. I took a deep breath.

" _Who—is holding—this assembly?"_ I emphasized each word and syllable.

"Oh, I'm not sure but I think it's one of the Academy's Board members. Anyways, just get down there as soon as possible, okay? Thanks!" Lux hurried off before I could ask any further questions.

Closing my door, I looked into the rectangular mirror on the wall above my sink. Goodness, my hair is a mess. And my eyes are droopy. And . . .

I shook off my sleepiness with a splash of water from the sink and got dressed into my Academy uniform. Whatever was going to take place at the assembly . . . something felt off. The way that Lux glanced about the hallway, as if worried someone would catch her talking to me. As if she would be punished for doing so.

As if she were coming to tell me in secret.

Taking another deep breath, I ruffled my hair and stepped out into the busy corridor.

I turned right and made my way down the stairs, which was crowded with students, all heading towards the courtyard. When I arrived, the courtyard was almost full. I stood on the tips of my toes, trying to find Zed, but in every direction I looked, I only found endless rows of students, all dressed in their Academy uniforms. Then, I spotted her.

There. On the steps of the gazebo, standing with the other members of the Elite Ten, who were all in their regular clothes (the Elite Ten were not required to dress in uniform). Oh how I wish I still had my voice so I could call out to her. But all I could do was to push my way through the tightly woven rows of girls and boys, some who refused to budge, until I finally reached the front row. As I took my next step towards the gazebo though, a man dressed in a black suit blocked my path. It was a Sentinel—one of the Academy's disciplinary officers.

"Go back to your row, girl. You may not pass any further than this point." He spread his arms wide to prove his point.

" _I'm an attendant of one of the Elite Ten._ " I tried telling him but the loud chatter rendered my whisper inaudible. When he shook his head again and gestured, with his head, for me to step back, I pointed at Zed. The Sentinel glanced at Zed and then back at me, and laughed.

"You? An attendant of the Elite Ten? Please, kid, don't make a fool out of yourself. There's absolutely no way someone with a spiritual essence as weak as yours would be an attendant. Now be a good girl and return to your designated row. The assembly's about to start."

His gaze shifted to a position behind me. I turned around and was confused as to why the entire courtyard had gone silent, and why the rows of students were suddenly parting like a river yielding to a river god when I saw him. An old man wearing a long, black, traditional Ionian robe that was indicative of his status of high-nobility strode through the crowd with deliberate, unhurried steps. When he passed the front row, I caught a glimpse of an insignia sewed into the back of his expensive robe. It was the Kinkou Order Crest.

What was an elder from the Kinkou Order doing here at the Academy? And if I'm not mistaken . . .

The man's sharp gaze met mine for a mere moment and in that split second, it bore into my soul like a drill made to dig up every single one of my little secrets. There's no mistaking it. This man—known as the 'Piercing Eagle'—a high-ranking member of the Academy's Board (of management?) and the Grandmaster of the Kinkou Order.

Master Kusho.

I glanced back at Zed, who at that moment, finally noticed me. She widened her eyes but subtly gestured with her hand for me to stay where I was. Despite her display of confidence, I could tell that there was something wrong with her. It was as if she was on edge. I understood as soon as Master Kusho reached the gazebo's steps and the all the other members of the Elite Ten moved aside to let him through to Zed. I understood why the look in her eyes revealed nothing but dread. The Elite Ten and their attendants, excluding Zed, exited the gazebo and joined the students in the first row.

"Ahh, Zed. You've grown." Master Kusho smiled coldly, as if he were disappointed that the statement was true. Zed did not answer but only bowed her head respectfully.

"I can't hear you with that mask on your face."

Zed gripped the creases on her white pants tightly.

" _Take it off."_ The old man's voice was quiet but commanding.

In response, the crowd murmured with anticipatory excitement. After all, the Shadow's Enigma's identity was finally to be exposed! I knew, however, how much this would hurt Zed. How taking off her masks would only deepen the Enigma that was her.

" _Do it."_ Each word was spoken with an oppressive force that threatened to crush Zed if she did not obey.

"Yes, father."

 _Father?! Hold on, then that means the old man—that means Zed is his_ —

With great hesitation, Zed removed the silver headband on her forehead and unravelled the white cloth around her face, revealing long black hair that fell down her back gracefully. Her facial features were unmistakably feminine and timelessly beautiful. Her alluring, dark red eyes peered out from her soft, pale face as they flicked anxiously from side to side at her scrutinizing observers. Gasps echoed around the courtyard. Even the Elite Ten were slightly taken aback.

"Zed—you're a _girl_?" Ezreal exclaimed.

 _So it turns out, Ezreal actually was not aware of Zed's true gender. Then why did he ask if we were in a re—_

Master Kusho's powerful voice cut through the students' conversations like a heated blade. "Now, I don't think you've formally, _properly_ introduced yourself, Zed."

Zed looked at me helplessly and I gazed back at her with equal desperation. Left with no choice, she spoke.

"M-my name Zariya Kusho, but you can call me Zed. I'm currently in Class 2-A. Please to meet you all."

Without the mask, it was even more obvious that she was completely and undeniably, a female student. Her voice was uncertain but it was also gentle and sweet. It was the voice of a lovable young lady—the voice of an innocent maiden.

But . . .

But it was also the voice of a weak, harmless teenager. From a glance, she was nothing like the Shadow's Enigma that they had imagined. _Zed? A fearsome warrior? One of the Elite Ten? Please—what a joke. She doesn't even have the unwavering defiance that Lux is known for or give the impression that she's witnessed true suffering like Taliyah does. She doesn't even have the dangerous charm that radiates from Ahri._

In their eyes—in the eyes of every student standing in the courtyard, she had become a mere schoolgirl. Some had already begun mocking her.

" _That's_ Zed? I don't believe it."

"What a phony."

"She probably used her status as the daughter of a Board member to get into the Elite Ten."

Others started praising her, though not for her courage, but for her beauty.

"She's—she's like a goddess!"

"I never thought I'd be saying this but I'm going ask her out."

"No she's _mine._ I call dibs on her." A few guys were bickering behind me.

I turned around and scowled at them with disgust. _Honestly_ —just how shallow can they get?

"Order! I said order in the Courtyard!" Master Kusho raised his voice sternly. "We have not gotten to the intended announcement yet, so I would ask of you all to maintain your silence. Thank-you."

The old man reached inside his robe and pulled out an envelope. Opening the envelope, a small, rectangular card with a name slipped out onto his palm. The card had a name on it.

"Jason Brighthammer, of Class 3-A" Master Kusho read. "Please come forth."

A tall, devilishly handsome young man took a step forward from where the Elite Ten had taken their stand. He was Jason Brighthammer, but everyone called him Jayce. Ranked first in the 120th Generation and No. 6 on the Elite Ten, it would be an understatement to call him a genius. He was a brilliant inventor, considered among the top of Piltover's scientific community and an immensely honored student at the Academy.

To me though, he was an arrogant prick. Now, don't take me for a vile, cussing delinquent of a girl. It's just that you have to meet him in person in order to fully appreciate his high-and-mighty ego and his apparently _dashing_ looks that conceal his deviously cunning not-to-mention, perverse personality.

As of now, he proceeded to stride up to the gazebo steps, aloof and self-assured, with that stupidly confident grin. When he reached the bottom step, he slipped his hand into the inner-pocket of his immaculate white suit and pulled out a miniscule, black, cubic box. What happened next would make me shudder in revulsion for months to come.

Jayce took to one knee and opened the box, facing Zed with a solemn expression on his face.

"Zariyah Erebus Kusho, daughter of Grandmaster Damian Kusho, and High-Lady of the Kinkou Order—will you take my hand in marriage?"

" _WHAT?!"_ the courtyard exploded into a frenzy of excitement, anger and confusion

 _What the hell did that bastard just say?! Somebody PLEASE tell me I misheard him._ I was fuming.

" _Silence!"_ Master Kusho used magical amplification to project his voice across the agitated courtyard and the entire place fell silent. "Zed, what is your answer?"

"W-what?" Zed sputtered. "I'm not . . . I'm not sure I heard Jayce correctly—"

"Zariyah, this young man is from the most noble and respected ruling clan of Piltover. You are so fortunate to have someone like him propose to you, and it would bring _the greatest_ honor to your family should you choose to accept his proposal."

Ah. So that's what this is all about. Maintaining family reputation. Building new connections to the corrupt nobility from other nations in order to retain power and influence. The children had essentially no control over their own lives. I threw my innocence to the curb and swore under my breath.

" _Fucking hell . . ."_ I couldn't watch this bullshit any longer.

Slipping past the male Sentinel who had directed his attention elsewhere, I strolled straight past Jayce and up the gazebo steps. Ignoring the glares of the envious—and to Master Kusho's shock—I held Zed's hand side and stood beside her. The poor girl let out a tiny sigh of relief.

"And who, in Ionia's name, are _you_?" Master Kusho's attempt at being casual was nothing short of disdainful. "You would dare interrupt such an important ceremonial proceeding?"

"She's my attendant, father." Zed said quickly.

"Your attendant?" the old man scoffed as if to say _'this weakling?'_ , but I was undeterred. I had promised myself—protecting Zed was my purpose at this Academy. And I would not let anyone, not even her father, harass her without contesting with a show of strength.

" _Zed,"_ I said in my whispery voice, _"Show them that you are unafraid. Shove your confidence down his throat. Give him your end of the bargain."_

"Sona . . ." Zed smiled gratefully and squeezed my hand. I nodded. _Show them,_ my eyes said.

Zed turned to Jayce and exhaled deeply.

"Jason Brighthammer, I accept your proposal—"

Jayce's solemn expression brightened. Not for long though.

"—on one condition."

* * *

 **Oooh, even I can't wait to write the next chapter! For the time being though, if you're eager for more, check out my other League of Legends story, "One Fell Swoop" about Kassadin and his emotional roller-coaster of a journey to Rank 1!**

 **As usual, if you're liking what you're reading so far and want to be the first to know when the story is updated, FOLLOW us! If you're LOVING what you're reading so far, spam that FAVORITE checkbox! Leave a comment in the Comments/Review section below to let us know what you think of the story!**

 **Signing out,**

 **Miria (and a dirty-minded writer named Nightrous :P)**

* * *

 **Next Chapter: CHP. 5 - THE FALSE SERENADE**

 **SEE YOU THEN!**


	5. The False Serenade

**THE SOUND OF MY VOICE**

 **Genres: Drama, Family, Hurt/Comfort, Fantasy, Horror**

 **Rated: M for violence and mature themes.**

 **Author's Note: I'm still debating whether longer or shorter chapters are better, seeing that in my other WIP, "One Fell Swoop", I'm averaging around 5000-6500 words, whereas this story currently averages around 2700-4500 words. Let us know what you think in the Comments/Review Section below!**

 **Thanks!**

 **Nightrous**

* * *

 ** _"The unseen blade is the deadliest."_** **– Zariyah Erebus Kusho**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 5: THE FALSE SERENADE**

"I will accept your proposal on one condition."

Jayce and Master Kusho's smiles froze.

"No, sorry, on _two_ conditions."

Master Kusho's expression twisted with annoyance. "You would sully your family's reputation _and_ your future husband's dignity?"

"First, if I marry you, Sona will accompany me _everywhere._ Not once shall you even suggest she leave my side." Zed said, ignoring her father.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Jayce stood up from his kneeling position, his charming smile faltering.

"I'm a mere, 16-year old girl and you're only one year older than I am. You have your attendant, I have my handmaiden."

Jayce's right eye twitched. "Hmph. And what might be your second condition?"

"You have to defeat me in battle first."

The crowd of students cheered with excitement. _Show us what you're made of Zed! Show us you're not a phony Elite Ten!_ They chanted.

"This is outrageous!" Master Kusho exclaimed. "You will stop this nonsense right now, Zed!"

"Y-your father's right, Zed, there's no way I'm going to beat a woman, much less, my wife." Jayce took a few steps backwards, holding his hand out as if attempting to hold Zed back, but Zed was already walking towards him.

"If you can't even beat a _woman_ , then what good are you as my husband?" Zed flicked her right wrist and two blades extended from her steel gauntlet in the blink of an eye.

"C-can't we talk this out in a civilized manner? Hey, hey, you can't be serious—?! Jayce continued to take steps backwards while Zed picked up her pace towards him. "I refuse! It is against my principles to beat a lady!"

"Then so be it." Zed was within striking range. She raised her arm up, blades positioned to inflict damage. "You lose."

Jayce's had a terrified expression on his face. _Hah. So much for being an Elite Ten._ Zed's arm slashed downwards at Jayce's chest, meant to cut a shallow wound to prove her point. But her strike didn't reach its target. At the last moment, Jayce's expression of fear was suddenly replaced by a grin of unrivaled malice and before Zed knew it, she found herself choking in Jayce's iron grip.

 _What?! When did he raise his arm up to—?_ I didn't even blink . . . there wasn't even a blur of movement. It was as if his arm was never by his side, as if he was already prepared for the attack.

"You think that I'm naïve? You fell for the oldest trick in the book." Jayce began tightening his grip around Zed's neck, to everyone's shock and horror. Gasp of disbelief circulated the courtyard and a scream was even heard from one of the students in the back of the courtyard. Even Master Kusho was speechless.

"Jayce, I think that's enough—" Master Kusho began.

"Huh? What are you talking about? I was just getting started at teaching my _wife_ a lesson. Thanks to you, it's not like any of the professors are around to stop me."

 _Wait. He's right. Where did all the professors go? They disappeared without any of us noticing—_

Zed's blades had retracted now and her fists were beating at Jayce's large hands uselessly. Her face was starting to go pale.

" _Stop it!"_ I wanted to shout, but of course, I was unable to. In the beginning, I thought I didn't need my voice but I guess I was wrong after all . . .

"What's wrong, _handmaiden?_ " Jayce was sneering at me. "Why don't you come save your master?"

My face grew hot and my heart beat unsteadily. I felt the rage pent up within me, ready to be released at any moment. _You sadistic fuck._ My mind had lost all notion of reason or virtue. Attempting to gain the element of surprise, I dashed at Jayce without warning with the only weapon I could find: a nearby sentinel's katana. Within a second, I was right before Jayce, swinging the katana at him with all my might.

Unfortunately, my strike didn't reach either. He knocked aside the blade using his arm, whose fist consequentially slammed into my gut. My body was flung a full 25 metres back and when I landed, I felt a sharp pain in my ribs, causing me to cough out blood.

"You want her so badly?" Jayce called over to me mockingly. "You can have her."

He wind his arm back, squeezing on Zed's neck tightly, then literally _hurled_ her body forward. Zed crashed into the gazebo's reinforced wooden roof, destroying the ceiling and falling through to the ground. As soon as she landed though, she stood back up. What incredible fighting spirit. Even though her back was probably on the verge of breaking from the impact with the gazebo and her arms were covered with streams of crimson, she chose to fight. That resilient girl . . . was also a foolish one.

" _Please, milady—"_ I whispered from my spot. _"Don't . . . do this."_

I tried getting back up like Zed did but she made it look significantly easier than it actually was. Moving only a single joint sent a painful jolt through my body causing enough pain to render my body paralyzed for the time being. I was most likely bleeding internally too. Why does it always have to be this way? Why could I only watch as the people I care about suffer in the hands of terrible people?

"Oh? You're stronger than I expected. Or perhaps that's just pure stubbornness." Jayce pressed a button on his Hextech Watch. "You were right Zed. I'm nothing if I don't beat you—until you lose the will to fight against my advances. Don't worry though, any of my advances as your husband will be purely . . . for pleasure. You won't even _want_ to refuse my future advances."

His Hextech Watch transformed into a weaponized gauntlet that enveloped his entire hand and forearm like a glove: A Hextech Gauntlet. From its palm, it was able to discharge blasts of varying intensity, ranging from concussive energy to disintegratory plasma beams.

"Oh my god, he's so hot, I could die!" a squeal came from the crowd of now disorganized students.

"Marry _me_ , Jayce!" another cried out in rapture.

 _Do these bitches seriously not see what's going on?!_ I grasped a handful of grass tightly, fury running through my veins. _How can they still fangirl over him when he's shown his dark side to everyone? What the hell is wrong with them?!_

A compassionate student finally called them out. "Hey isn't anyone gonna stop him? This is wrong isn't it—?"

"I'm afraid we can't do anything to interfere." To my utter bemusement, Ezreal announced. "If this is part of the pre-marital ritual, we would only taint it with our subjective and uninformed perspectives. Let us not be ignorant."

"He's right—even the Elite Ten aren't doing anything—Jayce is part of the Elite Ten too, he must have his reasons!" a male student declared.

"Yeah, yeah, that's so true!" another guy affirmed.

"A battle between two of the Elite Ten is _so_ hot! This must be what a marriage between two of the most powerful students in the school is like—I'm like, so jealous of them right now!" the girl from before said.

 _Are they fucking soulless?_ I lifted my head with great effort. _I can still make it to milady's side._

It was too late.

Jayce was already standing a mere few feet away from a panting Zed, who had dropped to her knees. Zed made one last ditch attempt to attack, leaping at Jayce with a blade outstretched and Jayce, with the wild grin filled with bloodlust on his face, raised his fist. It was evident that his fist was going to reach Zed before her blade would reach him. At that moment I felt my vision grow hazy for a split second and in that small period of time, I lost focus on Zed and Jayce. When I regained focus, Zed . . . had caught Jayce's empowered fist in her hand?!

 _Hold on._ There were . . . _two Zeds?!_ One lay on the ground, collapsed from exhaustion and the other—the other's body was flickering! It was as if the Zed that was still standing was an illusion.

"Impossible! How?" Jayce leapt back, suddenly wary. It was true—the air around Zed was different. It was more dangerous. Something was different about her eyes too. Instead of the usual dark-red they were of a lavender shade.

" _Mimic release."_ Zed snapped her fingers and a purple glow surrounded her. She began shifting into a different form.

No . . . that wasn't it. She began shifting into an entirely different person. Her hair lost its black color and turned completely white. Her white garments contorted and distorted into a more scandalous outfit consisting of an Academy Uniform that was modified by its lavender shade, v-neck top that revealed part of her cleavage, and shorter, skirt. She also wore a jagged black crown with two dagger-like horns that protruded out of its frontal area and a blue diamond-shaped gem fixed between the bases of the two horns.

"As the prime representative of the school, I believe it is _against the rules_ to harm another student when not contained within a combat assignment." The white-haired girl's smile was just as terrifying, if not more so, than Jayce's malicious grin. Jayce's expression—it was clear that he was afraid.

" _Secretoría Directoré,_ Evaine the Ravenborn—" Jayce gritted his teeth. "Why are you here?"

 _Secretary Director? What is the Academy Director's daughter, rumored to be the strongest in the Academy, doing at this assembly—?_

"Oh? I do not recall us being on a first name basis." She spoke methodically but her words cut with a fierce sharpness. "You will call me LeBlanc. And if you truly wish to know, Zed is my . . ."

She leaned in next to Jayce's ear and whispered something inaudible. His eyes widened and LeBlanc giggled.

"That's all I came here to tell you. Do what you want with her—marry her for all I care. Just make sure you don't have _too_ much fun mmm?" She waved dismissively at him and strode past him, nonchalantly walking past all the staring students until she exited the courtyard.

 **. . .**

I would imagine that Zed would continue her streak of defiance two days later, returning from the local hospital after the doctors patched up her back. I would imagine that she continue to refuse Jayce's advances and attempt to bring the engagement to ruin. I would imagine that, in the process of her rebellion against the arranged marriage, she would only hurt herself more.

And I was quite wrong.

Today, she arrived to the Elite Ten meeting _with_ that fiend.

 _Hand._

 _In._

 _Hand._

She was not wearing her usual garments either. Instead, she wore the clothes that she wore the first day I met her, except with a white theme. She sported a white sleeveless mini dress with a blue collar, tied at the waist with a thin blue belt at the neck with a blue bowtie, along with silver gauntlets, white gloves, long white socks, and white shoes. Her long black hair flowed behind her, light as feathers, with two isolated tails in front of each shoulder both tied at the end with dark blue ribbons.

" _Milady—"_ I started to say but she gave me a cold look.

I've never been on the receiving end of that look before.

"What's wrong, _handmaiden_?" Jayce flashed his devilishly charming smile. "Never been treated like an actual servant before?"

Zed put a hand on his face and stood up on her toes to kiss him on the lips.

"Oh Jayce, darling, she's always insisted on wanting to be treated like one." She smiled callously. "I figured today would be a good day to commemorate and grant that wish. Not that I had any respect for her in the first place."

I looked at her, my heart beating in my ears. I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

" _I was by your bedside the entire time you were unconscious."_ I whispered.

"What was that?" Zed raised an eyebrow and confronted me face to face.

" _I know you can hear me."_ I replied, my voice shaking.

"You know, I've changed my mind—having you by my side at all times would be too much of a hassle. I don't even know why I suggested that in the first place." Zed laughed out loud and the other members of the Elite Ten chuckled along with her.

"I mean," she turned to face everyone else. "That's a bit _creepy_ isn't it?"

" _Stop it, Zed."_ I whispered through my clenched teeth. _"I can see right through you. This isn't what you want."_

"Can you stop being such a bother and fetch me some tea like the good servant you are?" Zed flicked her hair and sat down without giving me a glance.

Perhaps I was the one who was mistaken.

" _I don't know you anymore, Zed. Sorry—maybe I never knew you in the first place."_

"I'm glad we finally got that out of our system. I mean, that would have been _such_ an awkward conversation _._ " Zed replied. I'm not sure if she was feigning her relief or not, but it was bothering me beyond words.

I gathered all my courage and spit out the words I had wanted to say the moment I realized my 'friendship' was all but a fraud. _"Zariyah Erebus Kusho, I formally resign as your attendant."_

I turned and walked straight out of the gazebo without looking back. I exhaled heavily, not realizing that I had been holding my breath the entire time. _What is wrong with this world?_ My steps with purposeful, filled with anger and regret. _It fucking hates me._

This was my first time experiencing this emotion. Betrayal. It was different from the oppressive insults that rained upon me daily, different from the looks of spite and resentment coming from the envious students, different from the pain that struck me when a fist, rock, or blade connected with my body.

It brought out a feeling from within me that I never knew I had.

 _Hate._

It was not Jayce, or the Elite Ten, or the students, or even Master Kusho that my hate had shrouded. I hated Zed with all my heart, with just as much intensity as the world hates me. I didn't need to call her _bitch_ or any other derogatory name in my head to do so. It surprised me that such a dark, ambitious, and negative emotion could come in such a pure form. There was no drive to exact vengeance. No desire to pay Zed back with equal treatment. The hatred in itself was enough a weapon to cast aside any notion of ever caring for the girl I once thought I knew.

I guess maybe that's why they say in order to learn how to hate, you must learn to love first.

The feeling ate at my heart like blight at a dying flower but it also gave me strength. It gave me renewed purpose. I'll show her. _I'll show all of them_ , I don't need an Elite Ten's help to survive at this damned Academy.

"Hey! Sona!" Zed shouted from the entrance of the gazebo. I whipper around and returned the cold look she had given me and although like a trick of the light, it seemed as if she was startled for an infinitesimally short instance. "I forgot to thank you."

" _Thank me?! What the hell do you have to thank me for?"_ I would've screamed if my voice hadn't been so irritatingly soft. It seemed that she had read my lips even from how far away she was standing because she replied.

"Thanks for saving me the trouble of dismissing you myself. You see—I have a new attendant."

I froze. _She has a what—?_

"This is Morgana from Class 1-A." Zed motioned for a young red-haired girl wearing a black medieval dress to step forward. "She's ranked first in her year and she's from the Angelica bloodline, said to be descendants of celestial beings. Morgana herself has been revered as the reincarnation of a Fallen Angel."

" _Why should I care? I have nothing to do with the Elite Ten or their affairs anymore."_ I whispered as calmly as I could.

"Hmm? Isn't it obvious? She's a perfect example of what you should've been as my former attendant. She also fits _so_ much prettier into the whole picture, seeing that Jayce's attendant, Syndra uses the same style of magic as her. Now Jayce and I match on every level!" Zed bragged excitedly. "Don't you think so too—?"

" _Etwahl."_ I summoned my ancient instrument before me.

"What do you think you're doing? Are you playing a requiem for yourself or something?" Jayce scoffed.

Ezreal stood up from the seat next to him. "We're really running late today, Jayce, can we save the extra comments for after the meeting?"

"Yeah, of course, Sona's just giving me a look that pisses me off—"

" _Hymn of Valor – The Symphonic Blades."_ The words came to me naturally though I had never said them before. I pulled the strings back like a slingshot and then flung them forward, ripping my fingertips through them like a coarse shovel on ice. The instrument made a crude, harsh sound and the violent chord rippled through the courtyard, cutting everything in its way to shreds.

If Morgana had reacted a millisecond later than she did, I doubt any of them would have escaped unscathed. The deadly soundwave uprooted trees on its way, dicing their trunks into wooden chips and tore through the roof of the gazebo that had just been repaired in the morning. When the dust cleared, only the interior of the gazebo and its inhabitants stood untouched, surrounded by a large blackish-purple geometric shield.

I panted, almost completely out of breath—I had incorporate a significant amount of my magical energy into that attack. I instantly regretted it though, as it was a lash of blind anger. I was no better than any of the other students, plagued by jealousy and spite.

"Zed, dear, your _former_ attendant has just committed a dangerous felony and needs to be contained." Jayce spat. "Though I doubt that attack would've reached us in a hundred years." He added haughtily.

The looks on the other Elite Ten members told me they weren't so sure.

"Y-your new attendant is quite capable, isn't she?" Taliyah tried approaching the situation from a different perspective. Zed took the opportunity with open arms.

"Yes, yes, she's one of the reasons we replaced Sona. And now that Sona's finally shown us her true colours, it is clear that we made the right decision." She looked over at me with disgust.

"Subdue her, Morgana."

"At once, milady." The red-haired girl replied, she began chanting an incantation to a spell. " _Soul Shackles."_

Multiple chains of dark energy instantly materialized around me and forced me to kneel. The chains grew and multiplied until my entire body, save my head, was covered with chains. I couldn't move a muscle. Nevertheless, I didn't try fighting back. There was no point. Despite all the hate within me, I realized that I needed something to fight for. And there was nothing.

What about fighting for myself? I don't have a _self_. I never did. I dedicated all that I was to Zed and to Mercurius.

 _Mercurius. That's right, I can still fight for him. I need to make his voice heard—_

I struggled and twisted around, regardless of how futile it was. If I still had breath in me, I would fight. They would have to kill me to stop me.

"Look at her—a pathetic bag of worthlessness." Zed sighed. "Take her to Professor Revan for disciplinary action and report the events to Headmistress Fiora."

Morgana glided up to me in her stupidly smooth walk and without warning landed a kick to my side. Ironically, the chains shielded me from most of the impact but the force drove my body down. I winced and shut my eyes tightly as the right side of my face was driven into the ground. When I stopped rolling, I couldn't see out of my right eye but I could feel the warm, viscous fluid oozing out of the many cuts in my face. Was that what was blocking my vision—?

I groaned as my face grew numb because I knew the pain that would follow several minutes later would be all the more unbearable. _Pfft. This is nothing compared to that night—ack!_

The next blow was to my mouth. The innocent-looking red-haired girl had straddled my chained body and punched me square in the jaw. The taste of iron filled my mouth. I didn't know my own blood tasted this revolting.

Morgan grabbed a loose chain and swung me over her head with ease. Just how strong is this girl? My chained body slammed into the stone path and knocked the breath out of me and I rolled once again, this time, stopping when I crashed into the bottom step to the gazebo. But I didn't process it as the bottom step of the gazebo—I only perceived it as another object.

I had become so dazed and light-headed nothing made sense around me. Actual, wholly cognitive thoughts only surfaced every once in a while. _How long had Morgana been beating me?_

 _Wasn't she supposed to take me to Professor Revan?_

Then again, what difference would it make? 'Disciplinary action' is probably the same thing as what Morgana was executing at the moment . . . if that is the case, I'd much rather a student enforce such measures than a Professor.

I could feel the footsteps echoing in my ears. Coming closer. Taking a stance. Ready to land yet another blow. It was strange how when one was on the verge of unconsciousness, they heard and felt everything so much more clearly. It was as if everything happened in slow motion the phenomenon gave our minds more time to process what was going on.

The blow . . . didn't land? I know the footsteps had reached me, the person's feet, close enough to touch me—but there was no blow? Maybe I should risk opening my eyes to see . . .

"That's enough!" a stern voice resonated throughout the courtyard. The meagre light that entered through the blood-soaked strands of hair covering my eyes formed a humanoid outline that stood between Morgana and I. It was my salvation.

 _Is that you Mercurius? Have you come to save me again?_

"Step aside, pretty-boy. I'm taking him to Professor Revan."

"Don't get so cocky, Morgana. I outrank you _and_ I can out-duel you." It wasn't Mercurius. It was a boy. A blond-haired boy with a gauntlet attached to his right arm . . .

"Go back to your meeting you wanted to start so badly, Ezreal. Your fellow Elite Ten are waiting for you." Morgana stood up to Ezreal with disdain lining her every word.

"If you're not going to follow protocol and bring her to Professor Revan instead of disciplining her yourself, you need to be shown how it's done." Ezreal was not giving up an inch of ground.

"She's my responsibility and I _will_ bring her to Professor Revan. It's up to me what happens between the start and its destination though."

"Then I'll be taking over. You are excused from this burden of a job and may return to your master's side."

"What gives you this authority to—?"

"I don't like the way you're handling things. That's the only reason I need."

"Well I don't see the other members of the Elite Ten complaining or making a fuss about it.

The sound of wood scraping against stone screeched in my ears. A rather annoying and disgusting sound. Someone form the gazebo had stood up from their chair. _Whoever it was, couldn't you have lifted your damn chair like a proper, civilized person?_

"Ezreal, are you undermining _my_ order to _my_ attendant?" Zed challenged the boy.

"Yes, in fact, I am. Do you know why? Because I outrank you _both_ in the status quo." He replied without even an inkling of hesitation.

True to his words, both Morgana and Zed fell silent. Jayce spoke up in their defence.

"Speaking of rank, _Ezreal_ , I happen to outrank you. So I'm ordering _you_ to step down and let Morgana do her job."

Ezreal smiled. "Did you not understand what I had just said? I said I outrank both of them in terms of the _status quo."_

"Why are you spewing complicated nonsense to confuse me, _Number 8_?"

"Complicated nonsense? If you don't know what that phrase means, let me enlighten you. _Status quo_ means 'the current given circumstances', by which I outrank every Elite Ten member in this jurisdiction, except _Number 1_." Ezreal continued. "And the fact that you three have forgotten my given role in the Elite Ten is to act as the 'Adjudicator' in all events of conflict disappoints me. Or have you simply been ignorant to that fact all along?"

"What Ezreal says is true. He decides the best course of action in the _status quo_." A gruff, yet husky voice spoke from the back of the gazebo. _Could it be him . . .? Number . . ._

Zed cleared her throat. "Morgana. You may return to my side and allow Ezreal to take Sona to the Professor for disciplinary action."

I couldn't help but be impressed, even in my delirious state of consciousness. Ezreal had effectively quashed all three of my most despicable enemies in one swift verbal argument without having to lift a single finger.

Once the chains were undone, Ezreal gently picked me up in his arms and made his way to the edge of the courtyard. When we reached the cover of darkness—for most of the lights in the Academy had been switched off after school-hours and the sun was taking its early descent into the November horizon—Ezreal carefully set me down against a wall.

"Are you alright, Sona?" He asked with concern.

 _Is this real? Or is this another façade. I want to believe it's real._

I nodded my head weakly. His smile was . . . different. Unlike Zed's, his was not flauntingly kind and loving, but was modest and friendly in a timid way.

"Don't worry, their wrong about Professor Revan. The professor won't hurt you at all."

He picked me up without difficulty and proceeded to carry me up the stairs—countless flights of them—until we reached the top floor. He continued down the hallway until he arrived at a mahogany door with a golden plate labelled 'Professor Revan Arcana'.

 _This boy surprises me at every turn. First with his oral prowess, then with his kindness, then with his physical strength and drive. I mean—what boy, his age, carries a girl up twenty-nine flights of stairs without stopping?_

Ezreal knocked on the door three times.

"Professor Revan?"

There was a quick shuffle, the sound of papers being hastily stuffed into a drawer, and then a man's voice.

"Yes Ezreal m'boy, you may come in."

Ezreal tried opening the door but both his hands were occupied with carrying me.

"Sorry, Sona, I'm gonna have to—" Ezreal grunted as he moved me so that he was embracing me from the front, with my chest pressing against his. I was too tired to feel any embarrassment but had I been clear-minded, I was sure to have blushed. However, as my chin rested on his shoulder and his right arm supported my bottom, his left arm was free to use the door handle.

"Professor, we're coming in."

He was a bald man with strange tattoos on his head and grew a long beard that reached the top of his sternum. Oddly, he a pair of beige pearl earrings.

"Oh my, what a poor child!" the professor exclaimed as Ezreal set me down on a small bed that sat in the corner of the room. "What happened?"

Ezreal sighed and shook his head. "Disciplinary action."

Professor Revan narrowed his eyes. "We don't _do_ disciplinary action of this kind at this Academy. What was her offense?"

"She was provoked, but she attacked the Elite Ten," answered Ezreal.

The professor raised an eyebrow. "And . . . did you contribute to that provocation?"

Ezreal avoided his analytical gaze. "No—but I did nothing to stop the horrible things they did to her either. I stepped in but it was too late."

"Well, let me tell you m'boy, if you hadn't stepped in when you did, this girl would not be here in my office right now." Professor Revan assured him.

"What . . . do you mean?" Ezreal said, confused.

"Severe head trauma, clotting of magical circuits, broken joints and shattered hip-bone, not to mention, her spine is fractured in several places."

The professor adjusted his spectacles and spoke gravely. They were the last words I heard before I fell into the deep dark abyss once more.

"The next blow to any part of her body would've killed her."

* * *

 **As you can probably tell, it's me! I'm back! No longer shall Miria take over the post-chapter notes and defile my reputation to no end! She even tried speaking like me and claimed "One Fell Swoop" as her own story (though she did try and help me promote it, which I'm sort of grateful for :P)**

 **Also, just who IS this LeBlanc and how is she related to Zed?! Even I don't know (or maybe I do *evil grin*).**

 **Aaaaas usual, if you're liking what you're reading so far and want to be the first to know when the story is updated, FOLLOW us! If you're LOVING what you're reading so far, spam that FAVORITE checkbox! Leave a comment in the Comments/Review section below to let us know what you think of the story! We really appreciate it!**

 **Peace out!**

 **~Nightrous (and a silly girl named Miria)**

* * *

 **Next Chapter: CHP. 6 - RHAPSODY OF REMORSE**

 **SEE YOU THEN!**


	6. Rhapsody of Remorse

**THE SOUND OF MY VOICE**

 **Genres: Drama, Family, Hurt/Comfort, Fantasy, Horror, (Possibly Romance?)**

 **Rated: M for violence and mature themes.**

 **Author's Note: Hurray it's an Early Update! I usually do these if I'm having a special bout of inspiration or if I've somehow completed the overbearing amount of work in real life. Just as a reminder before you jump straight into reading, text in italics embedded with quotation marks are Sona's whispery, soft, feeble, joke of a voice (Nightrous, stop making fun of her you sadist. ~Miria), while text in italics WITHOUT quotation marks are Sona's present-tense thoughts.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 ** _"...some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned, or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn."_ ****–** **Alfred Pennyworth** _**(The Dark Knight)**_

* * *

 **CHAPTER 6: RHAPSODY OF REMORSE**

 _Ugh. My head really hurts. I want to just lay here and do nothing. It's such a pain to get up from such a deep sleep. Because it means I have to face everything again. Face reality once more. It means I have to spend an entire day not being able to concentrate on anything in particular. Might as well sleep then—right? My entire body is sore. So sore._

 _I wish I could just forget everything. Forget the pain. Forget the heartache._

 _Forget the emotions. How to laugh. How to love._

 _How to hate._

 _I wish I could just end it all. I wish I could just die._

I've experienced this thought process way too many times for my own good. Why does it always seem like I'm fainting at the end of a long journey? It's almost laughable.

Someone's touching me. Someone's brushing up against me. Someone's holding my hand.

His hand is soft and is skin is smooth. It's warm and comforting. I want more.

I want more of it.

Someone's head is lying beside me. I can feel it up against my side. His hair is messy. I can tell because . . . because . . .

Huh? When did my right eye heal? When did my back, my arms and legs, my face . . . when did they all stop hurting? The only thing that hurts right now is my head . . .

I sat up with great difficulty and glanced around. The colours were still a bit fuzzy, but I could see. There was a boy sitting on a chair by my bedside, with his head on the mattress. He was asleep.

He was also holding my hand.

I blushed even though nobody else was in the room and pulled my hand back, accidentally moving the blanket underneath the one ranked first in our year, Ezreal Koehler's head. He stirred from his sleep, oblivious to the cause of his awakening.

"Mmm . . ." he mumbled sleepily before noticing me looking at him. He propped himself up abruptly, instantly awake. "Sona, you're awake!"

Before I could react, he leapt forward and embraced me. Too tired to resist and too confused to say anything, I sat there with wide-eyes, in utter surprise. He smelt of . . . faint citrus. _No, no, no, no, no—_ what am I thinking? I gathered all my strength and managed a waning whisper.

" _W-what are you doing?_ "

"I'm so glad you're alright," he murmured.

" _You're c-crushing me-e."_ I gasped.

Ezreal immediately jumped back, blood rushing to his face.

He cleared his throat. "I'm sorry, I got ahead of myself. I was just slightly worried."

"I'd say you were a _little_ more than 'just worried', m'boy." A voice chuckled from the doorway of the office. It was Professor Revan.

He walked to his desk and settled himself into his office chair, taking a sip from the cup of hot coffee he held in his hand.

"You were out for a full week. This boy came here to see how you were doing in between classes, every meeting and stayed by your bedside every night to monitor your condition. He was afraid you would wake up and find yourself in an alien environment and become scared. He even helped you get changed every day." Professor Revan said without even flinching.

As soon as I heard Professor Revan say the words, I glared at Ezreal suspiciously, who gaped back at me with astonishment.

"I didn't _help her change—_!" he sputtered.

"Oh my apologies," the professor raised his hand, "I meant to say 'he helped you get a _new change of clothes_ every day. The other girl—Regalia was the one who actually helped wash you and change you into a new sleeping gown."

Both Ezreal and I sighed with relief.

"Regardless, this boy was indeed, quite worried about you, dear." The professor nodded and looked at Ezreal, who avoided both mine and the Professor's gaze.

"Isn't it true?" the professor grinned.

"I-I'm a member of the Elite Ten so I'm responsible for the wellbeing of the students in my year and . . . and . . ." Ezreal drifted off, unsure of what to say. He ended up staring at the ground, nervously pinching the skin on his neck.

I never knew such a calm, intelligent, and popular boy could be so emotional. But here he was, flustering for the first time in front of me. Now that I think about it though—whenever Ezreal was in embarrassing situations, he would maintain that calm and cool façade but would always pinch his neck. Maybe that was his way of coping.

Maybe he was just as much of a student as I was.

I laughed. It was a feeble, pathetic and barely audible laugh, almost like a tiny, inconspicuous squirrel in the background, but I had never laughed so genuinely. Contentment coursed through my mind. Apparently, it was contagious, because soon, Ezreal started smiling, and not long after both he and the professor were laughing with me.

There were so many sides of people that I didn't know about. I want to learn. I want to discover them. This scene, right here, the three of us. One disgraced. One revered. And one wise. Despite its simplicity, it felt like a paradise. This moment became an oasis of peace among an endless desert of troubles, free from the judging, scrutinizing eye of others.

The sun's rays of light shone brighter than ever through the open window on the wall behind the professor's desk. They called to me, yearned for me to strive for more.

 _Live_ , the warmth of the rays told me, _live and be grateful that you chose to do so. Take what you have now and treasure it. For it is genuine and it is true._

Everything looks different from a closer perspective. The first thing I noticed about Ezreal was his hair—it was not golden-blond as one would perceive from afar but in fact, dirty-blond at its roots. Our eyes met and we both smiled. My subtle curve of the lips across from his shy yet brilliant smile, his teeth white against the sunlight. This time, we didn't look away. We didn't want to run away again.

" _Thanks for . . . for looking after me, Koehler."_

"Just 'Ezreal' is fine, no need for formalities—"

Maybe—just maybe. Maybe I could give this a chance. One last try at this peculiar concept called friendship.

"—that's what friends do for one another right?"

 **. . .**

I was deemed healthy and functional by the Academy's head nurse the next day and was sent back to my classes. It wasn't surprising when the dirty looks I got the next day, and the countless days after that were even worse than before. After all, I arrived at my first class _with_ Ezreal almost every single day forward. He even showed me to my new seat: the one by the window, right beside him.

 _How did he know I liked gazing out into the distance?_ I had wondered on my first day back. _Does he notice the little details too?_

The answer to that question was quite simple. Two weeks from the success of my recovery, I realized that Ezreal had an eye for every little detail, especially for the things he cared about. From time to time, he would randomly comment on the direction of the wind from the way the leaves blew, or how the floor had been hastily swept the day before by a male student who just couldn't be bothered with chores, or even the way I sighed when I finished writing every paragraph in our Language class.

Ezreal had explained the reason why he chose the seat I was currently sitting in—it was far enough from everyone else so that they could not harass me without being conspicuous but also close enough to him so that he could come to my aid if someone still decided to take the risk.

Sure enough, though it took a while—a month after my recovery to be exact— three girls from the back row gathered their courage and approached me with the irrational hostility that I cannot claim to have missed.

"What did you do to him, you _mute_?" One of them scowled in my ear.

"You're hiding something from us aren't you? You witch! You pulled some dark magic shit with him like you did with Zed, didn't you?" the second one loomed over me.

"Stay away from _our_ Ezreal. Or else." the third threatened.

A hand tapped on the third girl's shoulder.

"I don't belong to _anyone_ ," Ezreal said disapprovingly. "And if you can't even understand such a simple fact, I have no reason to associate with you, or let you associate with Sona."

"Why would any of us want to associate with Sona in the first place?" said the second girl confusedly.

Ezreal pushed past the girls and placed a reassuring hand on my head, as if to pat me. I pulled my cardigan up to my face to hide my blush.

"Sona's a kinder, more caring girl than any of you could ever be. And she's my friend. If you think you can just—" He brought his face close to the first girl's. "— _bully_ your way into my circle, you're sorely mistaken."

The girls, backing off now, weren't sure whether to look intimidated or offended, but Ezreal's unusually reproachful manner did its job. They shuffled self-consciously out the door until they disappeared around the corner. Ezreal looked at me and grinned.

There was a mischievous glint to it. Curious, yet amused, I couldn't help but grin back.

" _What's so funny?"_ I said softly.

"Nothing. It's just that I've always wanted to do something like that."

" _Why haven't you done so before? Nobody would've stopped you."_

Ezreal shrugged. "I've never had the chance to. You're the first of my few friends that needed protecting."

" _Are you implying that I'm weak?"_ I tried frowning but only managed to suppress my smile into a thin line.

"Yeah, you're quite a fragile girl. I was even able to carry you up those twenty-nine flights of stairs."

" _Right. Is that supposed to provoke me?"_ I challenged him lightly.

"Are you provoked?" He answered my question with a question of his own.

" _Not really. Try harder."_ I teased.

"Oh but I wouldn't want to hurt the little princess's sensitive heart."

My jaw dropped. _This guy._

" _Now that's a bit hurtful. You know how emotionally unstable I am, being your little damsel in distress."_

"What if I want you to stay as my little damsel in distress?"

" _Well I—_ " I began before I fully took in what Ezreal had just said. My eyes fluttered from my door to my hands nervously. " _A-am I?"_

"A-are you what?" Ezreal had also realized the full implications of his own words. He fidgeted with the edge of his shirt.

" _Don't make me say it out loud again,"_ I could feel my cheeks getting hot.

"A-are you my—" Ezreal gulped. Our eyes met again and this time, we both looked away. "—eh, damsel in distress seems a bit of a childish way to put it, don't you think?"

" _Y-yeah of course, I was only joking."_ I mentally slapped myself. _What the heck are you saying, Sona?_

"But—!" Ezreal started. My heartbeat rose again.

" _But? But w-what?"_

"But you're someone who I've grown to care about faster than any of my other friends." He said while pulling at the edge of his shirt.

" _Oh_." I ran my hands through my hair. " _I mean . . . I-I feel the same—sort of—same . . . I feel the same way."_ I blurted quietly.

Ezreal looked at me and tilted his head. His grin returned and he laughed out loud.

"What are you even saying, you fragile princess. You're not making any sense."

I laughed along with him, though we both knew that our humour was half-hearted. _I just want to prolong this casual and carefree relationship, this friendly dynamic between us even if it's for a little longer_. This was the true fragility—not me, not the jokes between us—but the relationship that felt like it was only held together by silk threads. Eventually, one of us was bound to run away from the truth. That was how my life worked. A long line of suffering sprinkled with little bits of undeserved happiness here and there.

 _Please,_ I begged, to anyone who could be listening to my thoughts high above.

 _Just a little longer._

 **. . .**

"I've got another meeting today, so I'm heading off first." Ezreal waved to me by the doorway of the classroom. "See you tomorrow!"

I nodded and waved back, proceeding to pack the last of my books into my bag. That was when I heard the desk behind me creak.

Whirling around, I swung my bag with full force and was prepared to run for it when I recognized who my potential assailant was.

" _Zed,"_ I whispered as calmly as I could. _"What do you want—waiting for Ezreal to leave and sneaking up on my like that."_

She twirled a shuriken in each hand. Holding my back with my left hand, I slowly but surely inched my right hand to the emergency transponder that was built into the bracelet that I could use to notify Ezreal of the immediate danger before me.

"Stop, Sona. I'm not here to hurt you." As a demonstration of her claim, she dropped the shurikens onto the floor and disengaged her blades as well, throwing them all into one pile before kicking them over to me.

She took a step closer to me but in response, I took a step backwards.

" _Stay away from me."_ I hissed. I glanced around but Jayce and Morgana were nowhere to be seen. _"Where's your fiancé? Where's your new attendant?"_

"I'm alone, Sona. Please, just listen to what I have to say." She pleaded.

Was it real? Or was it all an act? _I won't be fooled again, but . . ._ if she was acting, something was off. Her eyes were swollen red.

The only way someone's eyes became that way was from weeping.

 _I'll give her a chance._

I nodded, indicating for her to continue. As if being released from a heavy burden, Zed suddenly fell forward onto her knees, took my hand and began apologizing profusely.

"Sona, I'm so sorry for what happened—it wasn't meant to end up that way—I had no way of controlling it. I had to do what I did."

The flames within me ignited again.

" _What do you mean 'you had to do it'?!"_ I demanded, fury swelling up within me.

"My father told me if I didn't act as I did, he would use his influence to expel you from the Academy and then arrange to have you killed when you're not under the school's protection. I was so afraid—I had no choice but to shame you in public and then replace you. And then as he predicted, you would flare up from our provocations and attack us, which gave us the loophole to 'discipline' you. He hates you because he thinks you've softened the killer in me but the truth is—the truth is—" Tears were streaming down her beautiful face. "I need you."

It was a pitiful sight.

"I can't stand being alone in the Brighthammer household. I hate the way Jayce lusts after me every day. I can't escape because Jayce always has Morgana or Syndra following me and ensuring I can't go anywhere near you."

I hated the sight of her crying like it meant something to me. _It doesn't._

" _You came to that meeting like a love-struck virgin."_ I said accusingly.

"Sona—there's no way I could love that boy in a million years. His very essence is revolting to me."

" _Hand. In. Hand. You even kissed him."_

"My father said one of the conditions for your safety was to convince everyone I was truly in love with Jayce. He said it was necessary to protect the family reputation."

" _My safety?!"_ I glared at her appallingly. _"If Ezr—Koehler hadn't stopped Morgana when he did, I would've died! And when I lay unconscious like a limp doll in that office, you never once came by, or even asked about me."_

"Sona, I could only come to you now because Jayce had a last minute change in his schedule today so both Morgana and Syndra are running about trying to organize everything—" she sniffed and wiped her eyes but couldn't stop crying.

I knew that feeling. Once the floodgates were opened, they wouldn't close until every last drop was out. But _no. I can't sympathize with her._

" _I thought Morgana was your attendant."_ I said as coldly as I could in my soft whisper but as much as I didn't want to admit it, I was losing the edge to my voice. I was slowly losing composure.

"She was appointed by my father to watch over me. She doesn't do anything for me except monitor my every move like an eagle. She's basically not even my attendant."

That was the opening I needed. _"So you just want me back to pour your damned tea for you? You ungrateful wretch."_

"No! That's obviously not what I meant—!" she panicked.

" _Are you saying I'm not capable of understanding what you mean now? That I'm just some sort of unintelligent specimen you get to play around with and give orders to?"_ I pressed on her wounds deeper. This was sinfully amusing.

 _So this is what it feels like to be in the position of power_. My smile was cruel and unforgiving.

"Of course not!" she replied, but did not make any additional effort to refute my question for fear of offending me any further.

I scoffed at her, my words overflowing with scorn. " _You've grown weak, Zariyah."_

Then, the words I never dreamed I would say came out of my mouth, in full force.

By some magical, impossibly small chance, I spoke the five most crucial, potent words not in a whisper, but for the first time in seven years, in a regular voice.

"Get out of my sight."

* * *

 **Now _there's_ a finisher. We're going to see a lot going on in the next few chapters, especially with character development (Miria's fault for being so fickle :P) so keep up! **

**You all know what's next:**

 **You liked the story and want updates as soon as I upload 'em? FOLLOW! You loved the story? FAVORITE! Did you use your brain to think about the story when you were reading? Then let us know your thoughts in the Comments/Review section below!**

 **Peace out!**

 **~Nightrous (and a quick-witted fox named Miria)**

* * *

 **Next Chapter: CHP. 7 - INTERMEZZO TO MY SORROW**

 **SEE YOU THEN!**


	7. Intermezzo to my Sorrow

**THE SOUND OF MY VOICE**

 **Genres: Drama, Family, Hurt/Comfort, Fantasy, Horror, (Ecnamor ylbissop?)**

 **Rated: M for violence and mature themes.**

 **Author's Note: ANOTHER UPDATE?! NO WAY NIGHTROUS! Yes, yes, it's true, Miria and I are on a roll here! Though this chapter is just a _tiny_ bit shorter than usual, we just thought it would be good to end it on a light note for once :). I apologize for those who are waiting for 'One Fell Swoop' updates, but for a little while, I think this story is going to get more often updates (until my writing-high for this dies down). **

**Without further ado, here's Chapter 7!**

* * *

 _ **"The person you see in the mirror is only a fragment of who you truly are." Master Archmage Tyrus Runeborn**_

* * *

 **CHAPTER 7: INTERMEZZO TO MY SORROW**

It felt good at first. I swear it did. The satisfaction of forcing her to swallow her own pride and throw away her dignity was unparalleled. Or at least it was.

"Get out of my sight."

The words had come out as naturally as rainfall. They just slipped off my tongue as if I were simply saying 'good morning'.

"Get out—of my sight."

The phrase was simple yet strikingly sharp. They weren't said aggressively, but the feeling of emptiness one feels when having heard those words—that was the feeling that coursed through Zed's body. I could see the utter despair reflected in her eyes, every piece of hope she held lost to the tears that escaped through her fingers. She stared at her hands as if they were blood-stained, too torn by anguish to move.

This wasn't an act anymore. It wasn't a trick to bait me in. She was clearly not pretending. I recognized the look of dejection on her face for it was once the same face I saw every time I looked into the mirror. It would be unfair if I didn't acknowledge her remorse.

But at that point, I didn't care. If this was unfair, then what I suffered must've been worse than death. She could take a _tiny_ bit of suffering couldn't she? She deserved it.

I loved that weeping face of hers, and the pathetic sobbing that made it difficult for her to breathe. I relished every tear that streamed down her miserable face. I yearned to memorialize the way that she sat on the floor so helplessly, so crestfallen and so heartbroken.

I surprised myself even more. I laughed. I laughed as she cried her heart out. I smiled pleasantly as I repeated myself.

"Get. Out." The words themselves were not as pleasant.

"S-sona . . . I need you—"

"What did I just say?!" I grabbed her hair with my hands and pulled as hard as I could, causing her to yelp. Using the fistful of hair, I forced her to stand up part-way so that I was face-to-face with her.

"Did you not here me?" I glowered. "Bite the curb. _Bitch._ "

Oh it was _soo_ satisfying. I couldn't find words to describe the elation. It was as if I were one of the other girls now, and for the current moment in time, Zed had taken my place. Did that mean I was a hypocrite? Yes. But I didn't give a single shit. I was caught up in the thrill of beating down a forlorn puppy, who had thrown itself at my feet asking for forgiveness for something she didn't commit, yet still made to eat dirt.

The consequences and regrets stemming from such actions are often not considered until later on. And when the time finally reaches the point of 'later on', it is usually already too late to retract one's actions.

So when I took my bag and left Zed to cry by herself in the empty classroom, making sure to slam the door behind me for extra effect, I was still grinning madly and replaying the scene over and over again in my head. _Oh how sweet revenge could taste! I can't get enough of it. If such a blissful thing existed, how could there be any regrets?_ I thought to myself.

The thought itself was almost just as addictive. So much so that by the time I finally got back to my room, I had unknowingly taken three laps around the entirety of the Academy, drunk with accomplishment. It was already nighttime. When I plopped myself onto my bed though, a feeling of terrible guilty swept over me. The satisfaction wore off quicker than I imagined it would.

It was not complete guilt, for the flame was still partially lit within me, wishing to hurt Zed more, punish her more, to exact my vengeance to the fullest extent. That part of me cursed every thought and image of her that showed up in my mind and I swore to use any means possible to make her life as difficult as possible.

But when the guilt struck, it struck hard.

That part of me wanted to cry with Zed. It wanted to run back to the classroom and apologize. It wanted to embrace Zed and breathe in her scent, and to remember how it felt like to hug her slender body again. Those were things that I could no longer do now.

 _Where had this dark part of me come from?_ I kept questioning myself. I condemned myself for submitting to those malicious, sinful desires—the desire to harm another. Especially if the 'other' was once a friend so close we could've been called lovers had we not both been born the same gender.

 _Why was I so stupid? Why was I so stubborn? Why couldn't I just accept her apology?_

The questions plagued my conscience endlessly.

 _I don't think I'm going to be able to sleep tonight . . ._

I rolled onto my back and stared at the ceiling. Moonlight shone through my window, illuminating my modest room with a bluish-white light.

 _I can't sleep._

I don't know how long I tossed and turned for. Thirty minutes? One hour? Two hours? It didn't matter. Each minute I spent awake felt like an eternity.

 _Please, those who watch from above, let me sleep . . . have I done something wrong?_

I looked at the time. 2:00 am.

 _Damn it._

I closed my eyes. Breathed slowly. It was a rather quiet night—actually it was one of the more peaceful nights. Yet, the silence itself seemed deafening.

 _That's IT._

I got up, grabbed my sleeping gown, threw it on over my undergarments, and left the room.

 **. . .**

 _Tap. Tap. Tap._

Three quick knocks should do it. _Hmm—_ maybe another round?

 _Tap. Tap. Tap._

I hope he's still awake.

 _Tap. Ta—_

The door swung open and at the door stood a bleary-eyed Ezreal. However when he noticed me, he was alert at once. He also noticed my disheartened expression.

"Sona? What's wrong? Did something happen?"

"I've done something terrible."

"What did you do—wait you can speak regularly now?!" Ezreal exclaimed.

"It doesn't matter." I said bitterly. "My voice means nothing to me now for it's the voice that cursed a friend that came calling for help. This voice of mine—I only got it back from committing a sin. It is a curse."

"I've never heard your real voice before . . ." Ezreal was still riddled amazement.

"Are you stupid? Did you not hear me? My voice is a curse! It's only capable of _hurting_ people." I shouted at him. Then, I realized I had done it again. I covered my mouth and dropped into a fetal position.

"I'm sorry, Ezreal, I didn't mean to shout at you. I-I didn't meant to call you stupid—" I looked up at him, expecting coldness but was instead, greeted with something completely different.

Ezreal had a wide grin on his face. "I've always dreamed about how your real voice sounded but now, hearing it in reality, it's more beautiful than I could ever have imagined."

"Ezreal if you're just trying to comfort me—"

Without warning, he dropped to his knees and hugged me tightly.

"Sona," He whispered in my ear. "Your voice isn't a curse. It's a blessing. It's a blessing to all those who hear it because it's the voice of an angel."

"You don't have to try to make me feel better—"

"I'm not." He said seriously. "I love your voice, and that's the truth."

I looked down in shame. "Then I don't deserve it. I would hate to have gained something that I could only gain by hurting someone."

Ezreal held gripped my shoulders with his hands. "You don't have to punish yourself for something you've done wrong. Not every sin has to be paid for by penalty. Some can also be paid for by amending what you've broken."

"How can I do that?" My eyes were brimming with the essence of my guilt and humiliation.

"If you've hurt someone, don't just apologize. Broken bridges don't rebuild themselves just because the engineer shows remorse for his failure. You need to go and fix that bridge yourself."

"I can't," I said, blinking the tears out of my eyes. "I don't even deserve these tears. I can't bring myself to speak to her again."

Ezreal took a deep breath, then exhaled shortly, as if venting out all his nervousness.

He then clapped my face on both sides with his hands. It stung but the sudden pain shocked me out of my grief momentarily.

"Sona." He said my name loudly, as if declaring it. "If you can't find courage in yourself, then find it in others."

His hands caressed my face now, gently brushing away the pain. "Find it in me."

That night I told him all about what happened. How Zed came to me asking for forgiveness for a crime she didn't even commit. How I pushed her away because of my misdirected hate. How I pushed her away because of my own spite.

That night, he didn't say a single word to criticize me. He simply answered everything with his usual optimism.

"How can you stay so positive like that?" I said softly, looking up at him despondently.

"Isn't it obvious?" Ezreal tilted his head slightly and smiled. "Because you're here with me."

That night, I found solace in him and fell asleep in his embrace.

 **. . .**

It was bright. Someone had opened up the curtains, letting the morning sun light up the room.

"Sona."

A boy was calling my name.

"Wake up, Sona."

 _It's so warm and soft here. I don't want to get out of bed . . ._

"Sona, we have a problem."

"Hmm?" I yawned and rolled around, tangling myself up in the blankets.

"You can't go to class dressed like that."

"What'd'you mean?" I mumbled.

"What do you mean _'what do you mean'_?" Ezreal paused halfway through putting on his Academy uniform. "I didn't realize last night because it was dark but now that it's morning, I can see your undergarments through your sleepwear."

"Wha—?" In my rush to cover myself up I rolled too far and fell off the bed, hitting the floor with a _thump._ "Ugh, my hip . . ."

Ezreal chuckled. "I didn't take you for a clumsy person."

"I'll take that as a compliment, thank-you very much." I groaned as I cover myself using the two blankets that I had dragged with me to the ground.

"Sona _get up_. You need to go back to your room and actually get dressed. You need to go before anyone sees you." Ezreal kneeled down and shook me lightly. "Come on, don't be so lazy."

I peeked out at him from underneath the blankets. "Won't anyone s—"

His face was right there.

"—see . . . me?"

We both froze, staring into one another's eyes, separated only by centimetres. We were close. So close.

 _Too_ close.

"Y-yeah, I guess you're right." Ezreal broke out of his daze first, standing back up. "You could exit through the window if you're willing to."

"Uhh sure sounds goo—I-I mean, what?! No, I'm not going through the window!" I gaped at him like he was insane. "You want me to jump out twenty stories above ground? Are you crazy?"

"Well, how else are you going to get your uniform?"

"Y-you get them for me." I said, embarrassed.

Ezreal sighed. "Then can you give me your key?"

Silence.

"Can you give me your key, please?" Ezreal repeated. I looked at him and made a wincing face.

"I forgot my key in my room last night and my door auto-locks."

Ezreal threw his hands up in the air. "Then how do you expect me to get into your room?"

I shrugged and tried to hide my grin. "You could go through the window?"

"Seriously?" He narrowed his eyes at me.

"Yep." The grin I tried holding back escaped my clutches. Ezreal rolled his eyes dramatically.

"I'm only using Arcane Shift for this _one_ time. What do you need me to get for you?"

"Well, when you get there, you're not allowed to touch anything."

He nodded like it was obvious, motioning for me to continue.

"Go straight to the closet at the end of my bed and search the second drawer. I've organized my Academy uniforms into daily 'sets', so one dress-shirt, ribbon, skirt, long-socks and jacket should all be in one neat pile. Grab any one of those piles."

"Alright, I'll be back soon. Don't do anything crazy to my room." He started to climb out of the window but I called him back in.

"Wait!"

"What?" Ezreal was getting exasperated, but he still had a faint smile on his face. _Silly girl_ , his expression said.

"C-could you also get my—y-you know—?" I stammered. "I need to change out of this pair . . ."

I glanced downwards and then back up at him. His face reddened and he quickly looked out the window.

"A-alright I'll get a new pair of undergarments for you. Be right back."

And off he went.

"Hey!" I ran to the window and shouted out to him. "Get me a hair-tie too!"

He gave me a 'thumbs-up', then vanished in a series of yellow sparks.

Sitting back down on the floor, I sighed to myself and pulled the blankets up close to me, enjoying the softness of the sheets that pressed up against my bare skin for a few minutes.

 _The floor is cold,_ I thought. Then . . .

 _He's kind of cute when he looks away embarrassingly like that._

Oh god.

What am I thinking? Think of something else. Oh god. Something else. Something else. Something else. Something—

"Here," Ezreal materialized beside me unexpectedly, tossing my clothes onto the bed. "Is this what you need?

"Ahh!" I yelped, scaring Ezreal as well.

"What are you yelling for?" he complained. "You literally scared the hell out of me."

I looked at him with an offended expression. "I scared you? You scared me first!"

"How did I scare you?" Ezreal questioned my accusation.

"You just materialized out of thin air! Don't do that to people unless you want to give them a heart attack." I grumbled.

Ezreal gripped his head by his temples with one hand. "That's how Arcane Shift works, Sona."

"Well—" I attempted to find a retort but failed. Climbing onto the bed slowly, I was careful to avoid his gaze.

"Thanks." The words almost choked up in my throat.

"Sorry, what was that? I couldn't hear you." Ezreal placed a hand behind his ear and turned it towards me.

He _obviously_ heard me. Cheeky bastard.

"I said _thank you_!"

Ezreal grinned at me.

"You're _quite_ welcome."

* * *

 **There's only one thing left to say at the end of this chapter. And that's something about the next chapter, which is already in the writing.**

 **Possible.**

 **Incoming.**

 **Lemon.**

(^w^)

 **FOLLOW. FAVORITE. REVIEW.**

 **DO IT.**

 **Peace out! ;)**

 **~Nightrous**

* * *

 **Next Chapter: CHP. 7 - WALTZ OF PASSION**

 **SEE YOU THEN!**


	8. Waltz of Passion

**THE SOUND OF MY VOICE**

 **Genres: Drama, Family, Hurt/Comfort, Fantasy, Horror, (** **Ecnamor ylbissop?)**

 **Rated: M for violence and mature themes.**

 **Author's Note: Oof. This one took a while compared to the past two chapters, but since exams are nearing, both Miria and I have to study! The chapters will come a bit less often for the next two or three weeks, then the update schedule will return to around once, twice or even thrice a week! We'll try to release one more chapter before we go on our mini-hiatus, and it'll probably be released in the next few days.**

 **Here it is! Chapter 8 coming right up!**

* * *

 _ **"What do I have to do to make you believe me?"**_ **– Zariyah Erebus Kusho**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 8: WALTZ OF PASSION**

Two students walked hurriedly down the hallway with their faces cast downwards, as if they both wanted to dig a hole in the ground and hide from the world. It was no surprise that they felt this way. After all, the whispers that tormented them from the side, silently, anonymously, spread like wildfire. Finally, they got to the safe haven that was their classroom.

At least that's what I would've liked to say.

In reality, we _couldn't_ walk hurriedly—in fact, we were forced to walk at the pace that the elderly would on a daily basis. I asked myself this: _Why today of all days, is the hallway packed with students queuing to get into their classes? It's NEVER this crowded and congested._

Thus, we were forced to endure the inconsiderately loud gossip that the students passed around as if it were some sort of hot potato.

How senseless could they get? I mean—we were _right there_ , and they're talking about us like we don't even exist in the same time and place. Just listening to their pretense at being subtle sickens me to the core. _Look at them go._

"Oi, oi, did you see those two?"

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure they came out of the same room."

"A boy and a girl? What are two students of the opposite gender doing in one room so early in the morning?"

"Unless they were both in that room since last night."

 _So what if a boy and a girl come out of the same room in the morning? It doesn't mean anything. Only those with dirty-minded imagination would assume that we engaged in activities reserved for adults. Can't two friends just sleep in the same room and . . . just sleep?_

I reddened as the image of last night came back to me.

 _B-but I did fall asleep in his arms. Still, t-t-that doesn't mean anything! I couldn't fall asleep and just needed some comfort. That's all. Wait that sounds wrong too—!_

I fumed and pouted.

"Hold on—wasn't that Ezreal's room?

"That girl with him—what was her name again?"

"Oh, isn't she the mute?"

 _I'll humor them a little while longer and keep pretending that I'm still mute, and then surprise them one day. The look on their faces will be worth the wait._

"Sonar or something? I don't know, but I heard she's a bitch."

 _Seriously?! Still going on about how I'm some sort of lowly tool?_

"Are they dating?"

"No way, are you kidding me? Ezreal would never date such a plain girl like her."

 _That's hurtful but true at the same time. I don't bear any ill will against the guy who said this. And I don't really care either. Ezreal's not my type. But to think that I went from an unnoticeable attendant to the friend of literally the most coveted guy in our year. I'm gonna have an even more difficult time with this one than when I was with Zed._

"You trying to compliment her or something? She ain't plain, she's like one of the weirdest girls in the Academy.

"Hey, hey, don't speak so loudly, she might hear you, you know—!"

Instead of glaring at the gossiping students, I glared at Ezreal.

" _Look_ what you did!" I whispered frantically at him, careful not to let anyone else hear me. "I told you we should've exited the room at different times."

"But then one of us would've been late for class. I can't be late or I'll ruin my perfect attendance."

"Well what about me?" I exclaimed quietly. "If I'm late for one more class, I'm going to have a mandatory discussion about my commitments with the Academy Board and they're going to review my schedule."

"It's your fault that you missed out on several classes," responded Ezreal with a shrug.

"At this rate, we're _both_ going to be late." I sighed and looked at the long line of students ahead of us.

We both shuffled along silently without looking at one another. I continued looking straight ahead while Ezreal stared at his shoes. Then . . .

"Sona I—" he said.

"Ezreal—" I said at the exact same time.

Both of us hesitated, having been cut off by one another. Ezreal shifted awkwardly.

"You go first." I told him.

"N-no, you can go first." He replied.

I paused, trying to articulate myself to formulate a coherent sentence.

"You know ... you know how the others were sort of … talking about us?"

"Mhmm." He nodded quickly.

"Well … I was thinking …" I closed my eyes and tried to remember the last part of the sentence that I had so clearly in my head a moment ago. "We're just gonna stay as friends right? Like—there's no reason for us to conform or act based on what others say about us." I blurted.

"Y-yeah of course." Was it just me or for a split second, did Ezreal seem . . . disappointed? "We don't need to show them anything. We can just be our normal selves."

He looked like he had a hard time spitting out those words.

 _Don't think about it Sona. Think about . . ._

At last the door of our first class was within reach. I thought it was going to get better when class started, and that the day would fly by in no time. It turned out to be worse. In each class, as Ezreal and I walked to our seats, whispers would follow us till we sat down. To make matters worse, we sat next to each other in every one of them—the original purpose of this seat configuration being to protect me from harassment—but this plan backfired, instead, drawing further unnecessary attention to us.

At the beginning of our first class, the instructor distributed the new ' _Trajectory of a Thrown Weapon_ 'hand-outs to the students, by which naturally, Ezreal would be the one passing the pile to me. As he extended his arm, I reached out to receive the pile of papers and my fingers accidentally brushed his hand. The poor guy flinched so hard he dropped the entire pile on the floor, sending the papers flying in all directions.

"Did Ezreal just fumble?" a student behind us gasped.

"I think he did." His friend replied.

"Ezreal are you feeling alright?" the instructor asked kindly.

"Y-yeah. It just slipped, that's all."

It's not that I didn't flinch. I did so within, and I realized this when I sub-consciously placed my hand on my heart, feeling the beat race like never before. If I was fully level-headed last night, I'm positive I would've had a heart attack. His arms were _around me_. Glancing over at Ezreal, I noticed that he had dark bags under his eyes. He probably didn't sleep a wink, seeing that he was the level-headed one when I approached him. Perhaps … perhaps he's not as high up on the pedestal as I thought he was.

Unfortunately, this farce continued on for another seven hours until the end of the day. It was the longest seven hours of my life. Gradually, it got better. Each day that passed made the next one easier to bear, and the rumors slowly faded out as most of the students realized we were only in one of the most awkward friendships in the entire Academy. The jealous girls soon returned to their habitual mocking laughter as they gossiped about how I was forever stranded in what they called the 'friend-zone'. Personally, I don't see what's so bad about this zone that they've labelled as taboo.

Of course, my solid friendship with Ezreal didn't change the fact that those girls were still—well— _jealous,_ because they didn't even have any sort of relationship with Ezreal to start off with. Does that give me head-start over them? I honestly couldn't care less.

Over the next month, as the hours of the day soon returned to their typical psychological duration, my friendship with Ezreal quickly blossomed into one of mutual support and trust, yet was still teeming with joy and amusement. He would guide me in the ways of academic and combative proficiency while I would teach him to appreciate art, music and nature. We exchanged our secrets, each one deeper than the previous one, each one we told, unlocking a new door.

One thing we shared was the tendency to lock up our true thoughts and feelings and conceal them from the world in an effort to protect ourselves. His façade involved his sociable, easy-going yet mature persona but I learned that in reality, he was a shy, thoughtful, and insecure boy around the people he felt comfortable with. I retained the anti-social mask of quiet weakness, submitting to the beck and call of authority but also hiding my suffering in the face of oppression. This was probably why I was targeted so often; I never gave the other students any satisfaction of seeing me in actual psychological pain.

However, the one secret I always kept from him was my past. He didn't deserve the pain and agony that I had experienced as a child, neither would I have desired to remember what had happened that night. Especially if he found out about Mercurius … our delicate friendship would be threatened. I could not allow that to happen, at all costs. Don't get me wrong—Mercurius is not a burden in my life. It is simply that the discovery of a familial relationship between Mercurius and I would hurt both him and Ezreal.

Eventually, I made another friend: Ezreal's attendant Akali. She was similar to me in many ways. She was strong-willed on the inside, yet lacked the communication skills to convey that. Despite her introverted nature though, she was quite transparent as one only needed to observe her in combat to decipher her emotions. That was the one strength she had that I didn't. Luckily, as I opened up to her, her true form of sweet, child-like innocence surrounded our conversations with pleasantness. Obviously, she was the only other person who knew that I had regained my ability to speak besides Ezreal and Professor Revan. It was possible that Zed too had this knowledge considering our last conversation but … it was an uncertain variable.

There _was_ one more student that I could possibly call a friend, but it was enigmatic. She was like a balloon, constantly floating around in that happy-go-lucky attitude of her's, but this side of her seemed unpredictable, as if it would pop at any second. Lux was generally quite friendly towards me and often offered a helping hand whenever Ezreal was not around.

Surprisingly, Professor Heimerdinger, a Yordle genius hailing from the revered academic communities of Bandle City and Piltover, took an interest in me as well. He had stumbled upon me while I was practicing on Etwahl in the music room two weeks ago and was fascinated by the ethereal sounds that the instrument made. In exchange for giving him the opportunity to study the ancient instrument, he designed a unique body suit for me that helped channel my thoughts and emotions more smoothly into Etwahl, which he lovingly dubbed the 'DJ suit'.

Of course, no peace would hold forever.

I should have known.

I should have seen it coming.

But I was too caught up in the bliss and amity of my make-shift life to foresee that there would be bumps. Technically, 'bumps' was a bit of an understatement.

A tidal wave amongst still waters was a more accurate description.

It happened when, at the end of the month, when life seemed to finally settle down and return to its regular pace. Minutes no longer felt like months. Hours no longer felt like years. The insults and threats came less frequently as many realized I was in a circle of friends that was very, _very_ protective of its members. It might even be worth noting that Akali had started to accompany me initially under Ezreal's orders but recently, more on her own accord, since she could ensure no harm came to me in places where Ezreal could not access. Lux also hovered here and there, like a cheerful yet watchful beacon of happiness. Just when I thought I could live the normal life of a student, a thought which I never foresaw would cross my mind, it happened.

I was supposed to meet up with Ezreal, Akali, Lux and Taliyah for a combat training session after classes had ended and we decided to convene at the courtyard after we returned to our rooms and changed out of our cumbersome uniforms. When I had changed into my DJ suit, I began heading towards the elevators when I noticed something was off.

The hallways. They were never this empty.

I heard footsteps behind me and I whirled around, bracing myself for an incoming attack, but found nothing. Huh.

Then, as I turned back around to continue towards my intended destination, I found myself face-to-face with _them._ The three girls who had approached me in class when I had just recently recovered from my of them took quick quiet steps towards me but unlike my usual façade of caution, I held my ground. These girls were not brave or stupid enough to do anything rash. The most I would get was probably a bruise or two.

She didn't stop walking until she was mere inches away from me. Scowling, she opened her mouth to speak.

"Now you're not even going to pretend to be afraid of us, huh? You think your new friends can protect you?"

I shrugged, giving her an empty expression.

"I see you're still the fucking mute that you are. Don't think for a _second_ that your friends are real. They simply pity you. And when they realize like we have, that you're a burden and a waste of breath, they'll toss you aside."

I blinked and shrugged again. She grabbed the collar of my suit and glared at me.

"You know what I hate most about you? When we hurt you don't make a sound. You don't even shed a single _fucking_ tear. You're an empty shell of wasted breath and you need to stop existing."

She got closer and whispered in my ear.

"That's why, Sona, that's why I'm going to make sure of it."

It all happened so quickly that I didn't have time to process it. Perhaps it was because she had concealed the weapon up her sleeve. It was a familiar feeling. The sensation of sharp steel penetrating the soft skin and into my flesh, sending tingles up and down my spine.

Who am I kidding—tingles? It hurt like hell. Paralyzed by the pain, I could do nothing as she pushed the blade deeper into my body in a tormenting, slow manner, savoring each moment that my face twisted in agony. Finally, she pulled out the blade in a swift fashion, amplifying the pain tenfold. In a matter of seconds, the area around my body suit which the blade had pierced was soaked in blood.

I was lucky. The girl had not punctured any vital organs or I'd be dead already. The body suit had somehow helped: the wound did not feel as severe as it initially did, as if it had magical rejuvenating properties. However, that wouldn't even matter in a few moments because she was about to step in and stab me again. This time, I doubt I would be as fortunate.

"Do you feel it? The straining, trickling sensation of your life essence spilling out and the fact that you can do nothing to stop it. Nobody's coming for you this time, Sona. My accomplices have made sure of it. Farewell, you miserable witch."

Just as she was about to plunge the blade into my heart, I heard an object _whoosh_ through the air before slicing the girl's blade cleanly in half and lodging itself in the wall next to us. She looked around, alarmed. The object was a black shuriken.

"Oh I wouldn't be so sure if I were you." A girl stepped out of the shadows.

 _Why did it have to be her? I don't want her to be the one to save me._

"Z-zed?" the lead girl exclaimed. "When did you get here?"

"Just now." Zed replied. She had a furious blaze in her eyes. "And what _exactly_ do you girls think you're doing."

The girl backed away cautiously. "Nothing of particular importance."

"Then leave." Zed said commandingly.

"Tch. Let's go girls." The girl swung around and led the other two away.

When they disappeared around the corner, she kneeled down beside me. She had a hopeful countenance.

"Are you alright?"

"The DJ Suit that Professor Heimerdinger created for me is as good a protective measure as any." I said bluntly. "I don't need you to save me, Zed."

All of a sudden, she was back to the broken, injured girl that I had left in the empty classroom a month ago.

"I used to love when you called me by my name. Now, when you say it, I only feel spite emanating off of it."

"You're still grieving over such an insignificant thing? You're just as pathetic as my remember." My sharp tongue struck before I could control it.

"It's not insignificant to me." Zed said with a downcast expression.

This was my chance. This was my golden chance to apologize to her for abandoning her. This was an opportunity given to me from high above to mend this relationship. To welcome her back into my life. I could alleviate all the regret that had plagued me since that day and redeem myself of my wrongdoings. But the darkness in me rose again and I felt a surge of brutal sadism sate my mind. I struggled to keep the wicked grin from forming.

 _Why is it that I feel such an intense urge to hurt her? Why do I feel such pleasure from simply imagining her suffering even more?_

A new phrase from the deepest, darkest corners of my mind reached my lips. It slipped out before my conscience could stop it.

"Fuck off, you attention whore." While my inner demon screamed with glee, my conscience wailed with mournful vanity.

Zed looked at me with the most lachrymose expression I had ever seen—her heart was on the verge of ripping into a million shards.

"I-I just wanted to help you, to protect you—"

"I don't trust you. You're just going to backstab me again." I recalled the words of the jealous girl. "You're a burden and a waste of breath."

" _What do I have to do to make you believe me?_

"Nothing. You can't do anything." I smiled cruelly but my heart ached with anguish. _Why couldn't I stop? It would be better if I stopped talking altogether._

"I see. Forgive me." Zed exhaled shakily and squeezed her eyes shut. She was trying her damned hardest not to break down. "I'm sorry for having false hopes. This will be the last time I ever try talking to you. Goodbye Sona."

As she started to walk the other way, my inner demon felt the need to lash out one more time. I wanted to call out to her, to say _'Please! Come back, I didn't mean what I said!',_ but instead it came out like this.

"That's right, Zed. Walk away like the fucking coward you are."

Once the words left me, I immediately teared up and covered my mouth. A new thought filled my head.

 _I want to die._

 _I actually want to fucking die. If I couldn't stop myself from letting my inner demon lose, I might as well kill myself._

To my complete bewilderment, Zed stopped walking and began to laugh. It was a hysterical, eerily unnatural laugh—a laugh that only came from those who had already accepted death.

"A coward huh? I guess I am one …"

One moment she had her back to me twenty feet down the hallway, and the next moment, she rose from the depths of my shadow like a ghost on a rampage. She materialized into a physical form and pushed me against the wall.

"I'm sorry, but you're right. I'm a coward."

In an instance, she was on me.

She effortlessly closed the distance like the air between us didn't matter and before I could register what was fully happening, her lips crashed into mine in a wild, hectic manner. My eyes widened as her tongue assaulted the insides of my mouth, forcing our tongues to intertwine and dance a waltz of passion. My mind was so disoriented by Zed's rather _different_ approach that my inner demon did not have time to formulate its notions of malignance. Likewise, my conscience could not be spared a single second to judge the decadence of our interaction.

To put it briefly, my mind had gone blank. I had never felt such gentleness conveying such emotional veracity, conveying Zed's purest, unconcealed feelings. It was as though she had completely opened up her heart to me, pouring out every little bit of affection, devotion, joy, rage, and zeal she possessed for me.

Our breathing became scarce and desperate, the urgency of our ecstasy overflowing onto our clothes and onto the walls and onto the floor and she didn't stop—and I couldn't find the energy to stop her. Her scent filled me up, sending me into episodes of rapturous craving and accentuating my carnal desires. Her hands traced the skin-tight suit that made every point of contact as real as it would feel if she had been touching my bare skin. They moved up to my breasts, encircling them before sliding to my back and dragging them downwards like a cat scratching at furniture. My hands flattened up against her smaller chest, half-wanting to push her away but also wanting to relinquish any hindering sentiments and drown in desire.

The tears that I had been holding back now flowed freely. This wasn't right. This wasn't how it was supposed to go.

 _Why are we doing this…?_

She bit down lustfully on my bottom lip and I let out a soft whimper. Encouraged by my response, she let her hand trail down the sides of my body before arriving at the junction between my thighs. However, instead of pleasure, all I felt was horror wash over me.

It reminded me of that _vile man—_ of when he violated my sacred lotus.

"Stop." I whispered at first, and when she didn't hear me, I screamed and pushed her away vigorously. "For fuc—STOP!"

Zed looked at me, confused and angry. "What? I thought you liked it—"

"You wouldn't understand! You don't understand _anything_ about me!" I said, weeping.

Crippled by an overwhelming sense of trauma, I staggered to the wall and leaned against it, gasping as if I had been lifeless the entire time I kissed Zed.

"Well that's because you never _tell_ me anything anymore!" Zed yelled back. She was crying too. _This_ was how it was supposed to go. Both of us on our knees, crying our hearts out. Both us acknowledging that we had done each other wrong. Both of us apologizing earnestly.

Except for the fact that neither of us apologized.

Zed said nothing.

She got up, wiped her eyes and took a deep breath before leaping out of an open window.

 **. . .**

I sat there, hopeless, distraught, and exhausted from emptying my tears, collapsed next to the window that Zed had jumped out of. By the time Ezreal and Akali found me, Zed was probably already back in her room, or back at Jayce's residence. I pictured her feeling just as distressed and beaten as I was. Possibly even indignant at my unfair treatment towards her.

Ezreal called off the training session, suggesting instead that we have a quiet, modest meal in the courtyard. In light of my condition, the other three agreed without argument and the rest of the day passed as if nothing had happened at all. After I finished my portions, I brusquely told Ezreal that I was becoming drowsy so he volunteered to take me back to my room. Lux, Akali and Taliyah would ensure that no rumors spread because of Ezreal's actions. Everything else proceeded without a hiccup.

It wasn't until the next day that we received the announcement over the PA system.

" _Last night, our patrol officers discovered a tragic scene at the Willis Building's west wing. They found the body of a student who had apparently killed herself in a heat of passion. The student's identity is confirmed to be a member of the Elite Ten—"_

No. It _couldn't_ be.

"— _Zariyah Erebus Kusho."_

Zed didn't jump out of the window to escape into the cover of dusk. She didn't return to her room or Jayce's residence, just as distressed and beaten as I was. She wasn't even angry with me.

At least not anymore.

Zed had simply jumped out of that window and let herself fall to her death.

* * *

 **Surprise, surprise. As sad as it may seem, I'm not afraid to kill off main characters, as it only adds to the tragedy of the story. A reader reminded me in the Reviews/Comments section that this story was starting to seem like some sort of High School Anime. Let it be said that although the setting is as such, the themes and genres of this story are still supposed to take a darker tone than what I've previously written in other stories.**

 **Anyways, if you've got the guts to follow this _gut-wrenching_ story (huehue its a pun) check off that FOLLOW button to get updates as soon as they are posted! If you love the story and you have an account on FanFiction, show us how much you like it by clicking the FAVORITE button!**

 **Last but not least, COMMENT, REVIEW and TELL US what you thought of this chapter!**

 **Peace out!**

 **~Nightrous (and a wise-cracking chipmunk named Miria)**

* * *

 **Next Chapter: Chp. 9 - The Quintet Circle**

 **SEE YOU THEN!**


	9. The Quintet Circle

**THE SOUND OF MY VOICE**

 **Genres: Drama, Family, Hurt/Comfort, Fantasy, Horror, Romance**

 **Rated: M for violence and mature themes.**

 **Author's Note:**

 **Hey guys, it's Miria! Sorry for the rather late update but it's been getting reaaaaally busy with all the hectic studying and heavy workload, but we promise that it'll get better after the next two-and-a-half weeks. And also, if you've noticed, for the readers who have practically been _begging_ us to put the Romance tag in, it's finally here! So what are you waiting for?**

 **Enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

 _ **"Tis like the icy calm before the storm."**_ **– Elizabeth Frostguard**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 9: THE QUINTET CIRCLE**

The guilt that I felt was indescribable. The sinful joy that I felt as I tormented her came back to me as a horrifying truth: that I had been playing the oppressor all along. I become one of those who I so despised in the past. I had become my own enemy.

I was the cause of Zed's suicide.

I was practically a murderer.

 _Why didn't I just forgive her?_ The thought never left my head. It was burned into my psyche, forever cursed to remember my sin of hate and spite and regret.

When the announcement was made over the PA system, I dropped all my books and ran out of the classroom. I didn't care where. I just needed to leave this place. Leave these people. Leave the Academy. I just needed to find a place where the pain would slowly fade away. Recluse from society. Perhaps I could travel with Mercurius across Runeterra again.

His voice resounded in my head.

" _Don't run away, Sonata. You'd only be running away from yourself. And in the end, you'd always lose."_

 _But I can't do it. I don't belong here. I don't belong in society. The voice that I had worked so hard to recover was in reality, my undoing,_ I replied.

Another memory of something he said resurfaced.

" _Sonata. Is this what you really want? To live with me, to run with me, but to miss out on all the precious tidbits of life? This is your life, Sonata, your adolescence. Do not waste it away like I have."_

 _I have already wasted it, Mercurius. I'm sorry . . ._

" _Sona!"_ He had said loudly. _"You're different from me. You have time. You have a choice. So choose."_

When I came to, I was at the edge of Valoria City. I had arrived at the Northern Gate.

 _What time was it? How long did it take me to get here?_ These thoughts were the only ones to question me. That was good. That meant I was already forgetting what had happened. The sun had turned blood orange in the sky, pleasantly illuminating the horizon. That means it was getting close evening. Which also meant the Gates were going to close soon. I glanced behind me. No one had followed me.

I'm not surprised. If nobody caught up to me in the first hour of my absence, then nobody was coming. The girl who stabbed me—she was right. Nobody actually cared. When they found out how weak I was, they tossed me aside like a disposable tool. Maybe they knew all along. Maybe they were just mocking me.

 _Tch. Friends. What was I even thinking?_

Whatever. I don't care anymore. I don't care about anything anymore.

I greeted the guards with a polite nod, then walked through the high stone arches and out into the open road. From here on out, lay only a few scattered buildings, housing, inhabited by those too poor to live within the citadel. Rarely were any major facilities located outside the Gates. Beyond the villages of the poor started a wild growth of forestry mostly used by Valoria City's lumber industries. Another mile out from _there_ was what most Valorians called 'The Edge.'

You see—Valoria city was located at the centre of an 'elevated island' in which 'The Edge' was the literal cliff-side of that island. As the ruling capital of Runeterra, it obviously deserved the most strategically primed position.

As I passed through the Northern Gate, one of the guards called after me.

"Hey, kid, you know we're closing soon right? Like in 25 minutes?"

I nodded and shrugged.

"Alright as long as you know, kid. Once these Gates shut after curfew, we only open them once every hour on a one minute interval before we close the Gate again."

It didn't really matter to me. I just needed to get as far away as possible. I picked up my pace to a fast walk, making it through the outskirt buildings closest to the city wall without taking too long.

" _You have a choice."_ Mercurius's words reminded me.

 _Just for one day. Maybe one week. Maybe a month. Just for a while, please. Let me taste freedom from this world._ I reasoned with myself. But a part of me refused.

 _Mercurius would be disappointed in you,_ it said. _This isn't what he would've approved of._

That's right. He didn't just say ' _choose for the sake of choosing.'_ He meant ' _make the right choice.'_

But how do I know which is the one choice that is right?

" _You have us."_

Oh yeah . . . Ezreal said that didn't he?

" _If you can't find the courage in yourself, find it in others. Find it in me."_

" _How can you stay so positive like that?"_

" _Isn't it obvious?"_ Even in my memories, his smile shone brightly. _"Because you're here with me."_

 _Huh? How did I get so far in so little time?_

I looked up and found myself at the edge of a cliff. A stream of clear water ran from my left and cascaded off the side of the elevated island, creating a tiny waterfall in its wake. I looked further, to my left and right, and there were multiple streams doing the same.

 _So this is where all our natural water comes and goes. It's almost as if we're living at the summit of the tallest mountain in the world! No wait . . . we ARE living at the summit of the tallest, biggest mountain of all mountains!_

From here, I could even see the sun sinking slowly into the horizon, made up of the Ironspike Mountains themselves. And beyond that were the city states of Piltover and Zaun . . . _just how far up are we?!_

This was the Edge. It was my first time seeing it for myself. And I have to say—it was one of the most beautiful sights I had ever seen in my entire life. But which begs the question . . . how _did_ I come so far in so little time?

And when did Etwahl come out?

I never summoned it.

The ancient instrument had materialized before me, levitating at my waist, without me realizing it. Etwahl was also playing a soft melody. It sang . . .

 _If you listen carefully, you will hear my timid song,_

 _Quick and quiet, swift and shy, here it is, my Song of Sky_

 _This is my sweet melody, this is my Celerity_

Etwahl was exuding a pinkish-purple aura, forming a circular outline around it. When I stepped into the outline, I felt strange. I felt lighter. As if I could run with the wind. This was . . .

The Song of Celerity.

In all my years of playing Etwahl, I had never played a song with a name. I had simply been improvising and pulling at the heartstrings of my audience using sheer will. Yet here it was, a song willing to be named. A song willing to be remembered. I wish I could share it. Although it was a cowardly song, it was _my_ song. I wish I could share it, play it for others. Play it for them. Play it for _him._

I wish he were here to hear my song.

"Ezreal, where are you?" I wept shamelessly, tears rolling down my cheeks like the streams rolling off the island. "I want you here beside me … I want to hear your laughter … I want to see your smile. I want you to comfort me. I want you to tell me how beautiful my song is … I don't care if you tell me how terrible it sounds … I want to see you … because … because ..."

I stared off into the distance. The sun had already disappeared behind the Ironspike Mountains but its presence still lit up the blue sky with purple trails, as if trying to cling on to daylight for as long as possible. My butts around drifted aimlessly, though avoiding the beautiful picture that the sunset painted. The only thing that could make it better was if . . .

Footsteps. I could hear them coming nearer to me. But I did not turn around. Of course—the only things that follow me are always here to kill me. There's no point in looking death in the eye when I've already accepted it. Whoever it was, whatever it was, I didn't need to know. I didn't want to know.

" _So choose."_ Mercurius's voice in my head was louder than ever. _"Choose, Sonata, choose."_

"Choose." I repeated under my breath. "Choose. Choose. Choose."

I shook my head. _No, I was wrong. I don't want to. This isn't how I want it to end._

I whirled around, Etwahl moving with me, and shouted defiantly at my assailant. "No! Stay back!"

Instead of a man though, I met the surprised face of a school boy, still in his immaculate uniform. Despite his gainly appearance, the boy's golden-blond hair was a mess and his brilliant blue eyes had a wild look about them.

"Sona…?" Ezreal's face was a myriad of emotions. Words seemed to fail him so instead, he ran at me and embraced me with all his might. "Oh my god, Sona—!"

"Ezreal…" my tears continued to spill onto the grass but they were now of happiness, not despair.

To my surprise, Ezreal's knees were shaking. My heart skipped more than a beat when I felt his cheek press up against mine. He whispered softly.

"I was so worried. I was _so, so,_ worried about you. I couldn't find you."

"Why…?" I meant to ask the reason for his anguish but I too was at a loss for words. Nevertheless, he understood.

"I was worried that you'd get lost, or hurt—or even killed. I was worried … I was worried that I'd lose you."

"Are you?" I questioned him equally as softly. "Are you my friend? Do you care?"

"Of course I do, Sona. You're—"

I put my palm against his chest and forced a little distance between us so I could look him in the eye.

"Will you cast me aside when you find out that I am weak?" I asked him, but my eyes pleaded him for the answer I wanted.

"If you are weak then I will protect you." He replied without hesitating. "You will become my weakness but I will become your strength."

"Ezreal…" I brushed his messy golden hair back so it wouldn't keep dropping in front of his eyes.

"The truth is Sona…" Ezreal bit his lip. "The truth is—I like you. I like you as more than a friend. I-I lo—"

My heart raced. I couldn't let him say it first. My lips moved instinctively. I didn't even have to think about it. I hugged him tighter.

"Me too."

That was the first time I had ever felt a boy's lips on my own. They were softer than I expected, in contrast from their stereotypical roughness. They weren't supple by any means, but they weren't meagre either.

It was also the first time I ever initiated something like this. But I didn't _think_. I just _did_. The feeling … the feeling of intimate contact … it drove me. It sent thoughts into my head I never thought I would have.

" _Choose."_ Mercurius's words commended me.

 _I have chosen,_ I replied.

This is my choice. _He_ is my choice. And he in turn, has chosen me.

He was tasteless yet entrancing at the same time. His breath captured mine and his scent of faint cinnamon enveloped me until I was completely immersed. I was tempted to purge my heart of its innocence and submit to my desires, but before long, Ezreal pulled away, gasping for air.

"Out of breath already?" I breathed.

"You're not?" He panted.

"No." I blushed. When Ezreal had caught his breath, I leaned in again, wanting more, but this time, gingerly, nervous, and afraid of judgement. He caressed my face but held it back gently before I could kiss him again.

"I-I want to take things slowly." Ezreal said with his cheeks growing rosy.

 _Slowly,_ I repeated in my mind. _Slowly._

I took my time, letting my lips gracefully brush up against his, taking him in slowly, sucking him in unhurriedly, closing my eyes and letting myself use only my taste to feel him. It felt like time no longer existed. It was only him and I, on the ground now, letting the grass hide us from the sky until the sun finally set and the night had settled.

 **. . .**

I don't remember when we got back to the Academy. All I can recall is falling asleep yet again in Ezreal's arms and waking up the next morning underneath my own blankets, in my own bed, wearing my undergarments. I looked at the clock on my bed-side table.

 _8:00 am._

Good. Thirty minutes until my first class. That meant that I had time to prepare for the day … and a bit of time to think.

 _Did everything that I thought happened yesterday, really happen? Was it all a dream? And if it's all true . . ._

 _Do I truly deserve such happiness?_

I stared at the ceiling and recounted the events of the day before. _Zed ..._ her death was my fault. And if I were to take on the burden and guilt myself, I would, with no doubt, drown. _But …_ but what happened yesterday truly did happen, then …

" _You will become my weakness, but I will become your strength."_ That was what he said. Was it fair? Was it fair to Ezreal if I decided to share the burden with him?

 _Tap. Tap. Tap._

Someone was knocking at the door. I threw on my sleeping gown and walked to the door, opening it warily. The boy at the door greeted me with his classic, shy yet brilliant smile.

"Morning Sona—woah!" He exclaimed as I embraced him tightly, pressing my head against his chest. "H-hey, you're awake."

I breathed in his scent. Faint cinnamon. The scent of yesterday. The scent that had become my favorite.

"Your heart is racing." I said quietly.

"Yeah, cuz I had to run up a few floors to get from my room to yours."

I frowned slightly. "Is there another reason your heart beat is quickening even though you've stopped running?"

"U-umm—" Ezreal stuttered. "It'll take a few more minutes before my heart rate returns to normal after a sudden bout of physical exercise?"

I lifted my head from his chest and looked straight into his eyes, pouting. "Aaaaany other reasons?"

"Y-yeah … you were really close to me."

"Aaaand?" I raised my eyebrows and prompted him.

"A-and … and … I got a bit excited. Because …" He gulped and I smirked on the inside. I was having _way_ too much fun with this. "B-because you're my g-g-g..."

 _Oh my god, is he actually that embarrassed to say it out loud? This is_ _ **the**_ _Ezreal—Number 8 of the Elite Ten and model student of our Generation—that we're talking about._

I sighed. "If you're too shy to say it out loud, whisper it in my ear."

He leaned in close and said in a husky whisper. "You're my girlfriend."

I grinned from ear to ear and beamed at him. "Okay! I'll take a few moments to get ready. Wait for me outside my door."

Just as I was about to close the door, he put a hand on it and stopped it halfway.

"Don't I get to come in?" It was his turn to pout now.

I smiled teasingly at him. "Nope. You've already seen me in my undergarments last night, seeing that you _probably_ were the one to help me undress and go to bed."

His blush was enough to confirm my suspicions.

"So, you'll wait outside like a good boy until I've changed." I finished.

"Okay …" He nodded reluctantly.

When I closed this door, I took a deep breath and the inner-me squealed with delight.

One thing that others did not know about Ezreal was that he had two sides. One was the confident, brazen, and hot guy who captured everyone's admiration like a human magnet, and the other, was reserved for me. This 'other side' of him was a timid, child-like and cute boy who begged for my attention yet cared for me like no one else ever could, except maybe Mercurius.

Another thought lingered in my mind besides my ongoing fantasies of being alone with Ezreal.

 _How do you keep doing this, Mercurius?_

 _How do you keep saving me, even though you're not here with me?_

 _And how can I ever repay this debt._

A memory of something he said to me surfaced.

" _You don't have to thank me, dear Sonata. If you want to truly thank me, do it through living. Show me that you were truly worth saving by living. And never give up on life, especially if you have been given a second chance by those who watch from above."_

 _I won't waste this second chance,_ I promised both myself and Mercurius.

 _I won't waste it._

Adjusting the tie on my uniform and packing the last of my books for today's classes, I slung my bag over my shoulder and opened the door again, stepping out into the hallway. Ezreal was leaning against the wall, but as I walked out, he straightened up and adjusted his own tie.

"You're quick. Don't most girls usually take longer than that?"

I shrugged. "I'm not 'most girls', am I?"

Ezreal took my hand and squeezed it. "Come on, the other three are waiting for us."

I looked confusingly at him. "The other three?"

"Lux, Akali, and Taliyah. We have combat training first thing in the morning. The five of us promised to be in the same group, remember?"

 _That's right, I almost forgot. We promised each other—though, what does that really mean? The word, 'promise' …_ I thought to myself.

 _They were my friends now. And true friends would never cast me aside._

 _Ever._

I'll just have to wait and see if they truly are . . . _true._ Until then, I'll place my trust in Ezreal and hope for the best.

Holding his hand just as tightly as he squeezed mine, I hummed a little tune to celebrate my new life. To celebrate the four new, precious people who've entered my life. The five of us . . . _friends, huh?_ The word was still quite foreign to me. The little tune took on a familiar melody.

"What's the time?" I asked Ezreal absent-mindedly.

"8:28 am. We've got to hurry or training will start without us." He replied briskly.

Perhaps this little tune would help us get to class on time.

This little tune of celerity.

* * *

 **After this chapter, Nightrous and I are probably going to take a small, mini-hiatus to focus on working and studying, and this period will last approximately 2.5 weeks. If one of us feels like we suddenly have a new inspiration or a brilliant idea, we'll definitely do something about it, whether it be writing up a draft for the next chapter or even, if lucky, uploading another one earlier!**

 **We thank you for your patience in advanced and we hope you look forward to the next chapter!**

 **Remember, the Watchers of Fanfiction are observing! Be sure to FAVORITE, FOLLOW, AND REVIEW!**

 **Signing out,**

 **Miria (and an equally timid boy named Nightrous :P)**

* * *

 **Next Chapter: CHP. 10 - THE SYMPHONIC DECEPTION**

 **SEE YOU THEN!**


	10. The Symphonic Deception

**THE SOUND OF MY VOICE**

 **Genres: Drama, Family, Hurt/Comfort, Fantasy, Horror, Romance**

 **Rated: M for violence and mature themes.**

 **Author's Note: Surprise chapter! Oh where are my manners? It's Miria here! Nightrous had a spark of inspiration (out of all times, during the middle of his exams) but he didn't exactly have the time to write out the full chapter so he gave me an outline of the chapter and I basically filled in the blanks best I could. That's how much he wanted to make sure his readers were satisfied, and I have to say, I feel exactly the same way! :D**

 **I mean, two-and-a-half weeks without a chapter ... its a bit harsh on both readers and his muse. Hopefully, I've been able to write this chapter is up to its usual par when Nightrous is writing!**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 _ **"Don't look at yourself through everyone else's eyes."**_ **–Kitsune Shirohime (Elite Ten: #4)**

* * *

 **Chapter 10: The Symphonic Deception**

At first, we didn't tell anyone about us because … well … we were both too shy to admit it. However, it appears that although we did not verbally communicate the new advancement to our relationship, our actions somewhat conveyed it. We certainly received a lot of scrutiny from students, ranging from those who were curious to those who were outright suspiciously jealous. Perhaps _somewhat_ was an understatement.

" _Oi, those two are smiling at each other a lot more than usual aren't they?"_

" _I swear I saw them hold hands in the hallway on their way to first class …"_

" _Don't tell me Ezreal … is in a—with that girl?"_

Unfortunately, he took the brunt of the students' curiosity. Most of the questions were directed towards him, and so far, he was holding up, mainly answering with the same response.

"We're only close friends." He insisted, and after a lot of insisting, they took his word for it.

I didn't mind. It was nice to have a little secret known only to a select few. Those in our group of five—the _quintet circle_ of friends, I called it—were the first to know. Ironically, _we_ were the ones to exclaim in surprise when they informed us that they weren't surprised at all. Apparently, within our Quintet Circle, Ezreal and I had become, according to Lux, a _thing_.

On the other hand, the comments came and went as they usually did. I was already expecting them to come in large waves. But this time, for some reason, I was not intimidated in the least. I felt more … secure. I felt as if an invisible bubble of reassurance was protecting me. Of course, it was probably the thought of Ezreal which gave me renewed strength.

I smiled at Ezreal for the umpteenth time.

He was right. If I had become his weakness, he had become my strength.

Despite my rejuvenated state of happiness, the thought of Zed's death always lurked somewhere in a deep, hidden corner of my mind. It would surface momentarily and I would brush it aside. I made a choice. I couldn't let my one mistake dictate my life. I made a choice, and I chose Ezreal. If Zed's death was my one regret, then so be it. It would serve as a reminder that something dark exists even inside me.

Perhaps that man from the past, perhaps that _demon_ had truly planted his seed within me. Perhaps this was what he meant. Perhaps … now I'm just making excuses.

Again, things went back to the way they were before, as they always did. The other three girls in our Circle promised to help us keep the secret of our relationship for as long as possible, but two weeks into our relationship, it slipped. And who could make a more obvious and predictable culprit other than Lux?

To our incredible luck, it happened at the end the end of the week, right before our last class ended on Friday. Coincidentally, Ezreal was not present; being an Elite Ten, he had been dismissed earlier to discuss plans concerning combat training in the future. I know, I know—it was pretty _cliché._ But Doriah, the lead girl who had been the main driving force behind the clique that was dedicated to making my life miserable, started it all. She made a snide comment about me, which, to my surprise, caused Lux to jump to my defence.

As she passed my desk on her way to the front of the room to submit her paper, she scoffed at me.

"Look at you, leeching off the Elite Ten like a suckling pig you are."

Lux, who was normally loved and admired by all the other students for her approachable nature (despite her place on the Elite Ten), stopped Doriah in her tracks, grabbing onto her arm with an uncharacteristic fierceness.

"If she's a pig in your eyes and she has a boyfriend, then what the hell does that make you?"

Doriah was wide-eyed and speechless.

"I-I'm—" she stuttered. "I'm sorry—I didn't mean to offend you, I—hold on, what did you just say?"

Lux rolled her eyes. "I said that if Sona has a b—"

She finally realized what had slipped her tongue and this time, it was her who looked wide-eyed and speechless. She gazed at me with horror but for an inexplicable reason, all I found myself capable of was a small, subtle smirk. The look on Doriah's face—it was priceless. It was much more than what revenge would have given me. She walked away slowly, still processing what she had just discovered.

When Doriah was out of hearing-range, I shrugged, shaking my head and tried my best to suppress my laughter. "No, no, its fine Lux, people were bound to find out sooner or later."

Lux reached over and held my hands in hers. She looked at me apologetically.

"A-are you sure? I mean I thought that you and Ezreal wanted to keep this off the radar for a while …"

"It's fine." I smiled reassuringly and squeezed her hand. "Let's just hope it doesn't spread _too_ quickly right?"

Long story short? News spread like wildfire. By the end of the day, the gossip had reached even the ears of Professor Revan, who gave me a nod of teasing acknowledgement. It was a miracle that Doriah hadn't twisted the truth any further than the notion that it was, according to her, 'probably only a temporary thing'. Most likely out of fear for disrespecting her idol, Lux. Ironically, Ezreal was probably the last to find out about how far news of our relationship had spread.

He gawked at me when I explained everything that had happened while he was absent.

"Lux! How could you?" He exclaimed while blushing madly.

Lux raised her hands in surrender. "I'm sorry, Ezreal. Anyways, Sona says she doesn't mind."

He turned to face me again and raised his eyebrow shyly. "Y-you don't?"

I shook my head and took his hand, which only caused him to grow redder.

"I-I guess if you're okay with it, I don't mind …" He said softly.

"Enough of all that cuteness, you lovebirds." Lux groaned but winked at me. "Wanna grab an early dinner at _Kento's_ and then chill at my place?"

"Oh that's a fabulous idea. I'm _starving_." Taliyah emphasized.

"We don't have much work to do this weekend so you guys can stay over if you want." Lux added.

"You're lucky you get your own deluxe suite, Lux." I sighed dreamily.

She shrugged. "Elite Ten perks. Most of us only use our standard rooms for storage and sleep in the suite."

Akali leaned an arm on my shoulder and shook her head. "I forgot they had _two_ rooms. They should at least give the attendants a better room than the double-standard, right Sona?"

I looked at her incredulously. "I wouldn't know because I don't even get whatever you guys have."

Taliyah raised an eyebrow at me. "You _do_ have the option of staying over at Ezreal's suite. I don't know why you choose not to."

It was my turn to blush. "I … um … I don't want to start _too_ many rumors at once? We want to uphold our—what's that word—purity. Right, our purity. Right Ezreal?"

"Y-yeah. Right." He gave me a strange look and I returned it.

 _Really? Purity? You're gonna go there?_ His eyes challenged me.

 _Just play the game a little longer._ My eyes replied.

"You're doing that thing again." Lux interrupted.

"W-what thing?" Ezreal and I asked in unison, and the other three burst out laughing.

"The thing where you have a silent conversation with each other using just your eyes. Honestly, I don't know how you two pull it off."

Ezreal and I looked at one another and grinned.

"That's our charm." Ezreal responded cryptically. "Come on. Let's grab something to eat already.

 **. . .**

"We're going out for a bit of late night shopping, we'll be back in a few hours." Lux put her coat on and said cheerfully. "Ezreal take good care of our girl right there alright? Anything happens to her and I'll kill you myself."

Ezreal was taken aback. "Since when did she become _your_ girl?"

Lux ignored him just to annoy him and turned to me. "You sure you don't want to come?"

I shook my head and smiled. "No, its fine, I'm really not feeling too well. I think I'm just gonna take the night off and go to bed early."

"You have anything in mind you want us to get for you?" Taliyah asked. "If you really feel bad about it, you can pay us back if you want."

I squeezed Taliyah's shoulder. "Don't worry about me. You girls just go out and enjoy yourselves."

"Just don't let this become an excuse to wear your boyfriend's clothes, alright Sona? I know you like that stuff." Lux teased as she opened the front door.

"Lux!" Ezreal protested, but the three girls had already made their exit.

"Bye! Be back in a few!" Lux called from outside before shutting the door.

I listened to the lock turn before I crashed onto Lux's L-shaped sofa. Ezreal plopped down next to me.

"Come closer." I said quietly. Ezreal smiled and shifted so that he was close enough for me to lean my head on his shoulder, and I did. I exhaled slowly and closed my eyes.

"It's been a long day." I whispered as if I were on the brink of falling asleep.

"Yeah." Ezreal put his arm around my shoulder and brought me even closer to him. "It has."

I turned my head and pressed my face into his shirt.

"You smell nice."

Ezreal chuckled and kissed my forehead. "And you're incredibly sleepy."

"Yeahhh …" my words started to slur. "Can you lay me down on the sofa? I wanna take a short nap."

"Sure." Ezreal moved again and gently supported my head until I was completely lying down. He sat on the ground and pet my head. "And by short nap you mean a _short_ nap until morning comes, right?"

"Yeahhh …" My breathing slowed to a steady rate. "Ezreal."

"What's up?"

"Kiss me good night." I opened my eyes to a tiny slit.

He obeyed, leaning in and brushing my hair behind ears. Gently caressing my face, he came closer, and closer and closer … until his lips were just about to touch mine. But he came no closer.

"Don't tease me like that." I breathed before energy surged through me from—who knows where—and brought me to full consciousness. I grabbed the back of his head with one arm and locked my lips with his forcefully. He didn't resist, submitting to my every command.

I rolled off the side of the sofa, pushing him onto the ground. The soft, fluffy rug beneath us cushioned the impact, allowing me to proceed with an element of continuity, kissing him passionately.

We kissed until we ran out of breath, and when we did, I grabbed at his shirt, pulling at it frantically, wanting to taste more of him. He did the opposite, never ceasing to be gentle and careful, placing a hand on my heart tentatively. My hands met his and I pressed his hand into my chest. His cheeks took a scarlet blush but he didn't pull away.

"Can you feel it beat?" I whispered.

"Yeah. It's beating … quite quickly."

I kept one hand on the back of his, and used my other to press against his heart.

"Yours is beating quite quickly as well, though not quite as fast as mine."

I lowered myself closer to his face and my hair fell from behind my ears again. This time, I let it stay there.

"How about now?"

"H-huh?"

"It's beating quicker now, isn't it?"

"T-that's because—"

"Shhh …" I interrupted him. "Don't use words."

"What—w-what do you mean—?"

"What did I just say?" I murmured in his ear. "Don't use words."

My mouth trailed down from his ear to his neck and stopped there.

 _Strange. Where is this odd desire to … coming from? It's never appealed to me before and yet … could I have changed so much in so little time?_

 _But if it's with Ezreal, then anything is fine._

I bit down lightly, nipping a spot on his neck. A new sound came out of Ezreal's mouth. It was sharp, and high pitched, though as brief as the wind. Gone as soon as it came.

 _Curious._

I nipped at his neck again, as if playing with my food. He cried out again. It wasn't one of pain though. It was … different. I moved down to a lower spot on his neck, closer to his collar bone and bit down with my lips. The same sound. He cried out, and then would then follow with erratic breathing.

 _Perhaps this feels good to him. Such an odd desire, this is. I want to hear him cry out again._

I let my lips stick onto his skin and used my tongue, flicking out and gracing the delicate skin on his lower neck. He cried out but it was just as brief as it was before. If anything, I knew he was holding back. I stuck a hand up his shirt and began trailing my fingers across his body.

"Don't hold back. If you want to tell me something, don't hold back."

"Sona this is—I feel—unnh!" This time it was louder. Perhaps a tiny bit of pain works a bit of magic. This was all new to me.

"Don't use words." I reminded him.

As I continued to kiss and nip at his neck, my fingers reached a small bump on his chest. Without thinking, I played with the tip. Ezreal couldn't hold back any longer. He moaned out loud. The sound of him crying out lustfully made the hairs on the back of my neck stand. It was an addicting sound.

 _I want him to make that sound again. I want to …_ I blushed at the notion of it. _I want to make him feel better._

"S-sona … unnh … when did you become this—mmph—!"

 _It was addicting but …_

I smirked and suddenly pulled away and lay back on the sofa. Ezreal inhaled sharply.

"W-wha—why did you st—"

"Your girlfriend's tired and sleepy. Won't you put her to bed?" I bit my lip and winked subtly. He hugged himself and bit his lip too, his breathing still unsteady from what I put him through.

"You like to torture me don't you?"

 _Well … torture wouldn't be the word I'd use. But I do enjoy tormenting him for it makes him want more. Every time we tried something … new … I would stop short._

"You should've seen this coming." I couldn't hold back my sly smile.

"You know, this dominant side of you is quite dangerous." He sighed, still shivering slightly from the phantom sensations that my fingers had sent shooting through his body. "Dangerously seductive."

He sat up and reached over, caressing my face. He leaned in to kiss me—and I let him.

"I don't want anyone else to see this side of you." He said under his breath. "Not even Akali. Not even Taliyah. Not even Lux."

"This side is for you, and for you only. To see—and to feel."

"I won't let anyone see this side of you." He said.

"Then don't let anyone do so." I replied.

"I want to be greedy with you." He told me.

"Then take all of me." I answered without a second thought.

"But I want to take it slow, remember?"

I gripped his shirt and pulled him close, speaking directly into him, while my lips were locked with his.

"Then don't rush. I'll wait for you. I always will. Just promise you'll do the same for me."

"I will."

"Promise?" I looked hopefully up at him.

He stood up and took his shirt off, putting on a new shirt. He always did this before going to bed—changing into a new set of clothes before going to bed. Another one of his adorably peculiar quirks. I felt my cheeks grow hot as I caught a glimpse of the smooth, modestly lean muscles on his back. For a moment, I almost regretted stopping our earlier 'interactions'.

He climbed onto the sofa and lay down behind me—fortunately, the sofa was wide enough to fit the two of us in a snug fashion. He slipped his arms under my arms and embraced me tightly, but not too tight as to bother me.

"Promise." He whispered, before we both soon fell into a peaceful sleep.

* * *

 **Shorter chapter, but that's all you readers get for a chapter that wasn't supposed to come out until another week ;). Wish us luck and see you all soon!**

 **If you're new to the story, don't forget to FOLLOW, FAVORITE, AND COMMENT in the Review section below!**

 **Signing out,**

 **Miria (and a surprisingly hard-working lad named Nightrous)**

 **P.S. Thank me for the compliment later :P.**

* * *

 **Next Chapter: CHP. 11 -** **THE ORCHESTRAL DECEPTION**

 **SEE YOU THEN!**


	11. Chapter 11: The Orchestral Deception

**THE SOUND OF MY VOICE**

 **Genres: Drama, Family, Hurt/Comfort, Fantasy, Horror, Romance**

 **Rated: M for violence and mature themes.**

 **Author's Note: LOOK WHO'S BACK FROM THE DEAD. IT'S ME :). It's Nightrous here! Another small surprise-chapter that sprung from the roots of an unsung hero (my literary muse), so here it is! Enjoy it! Once again, as a quick reminder, when me and Miria's exams are over, the updates will come much more quickly!**

* * *

 ** _"The strong do not need to claim to be as such. They already know it."_** **– Professor Revan**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 11: THE ORCHESTRAL DECEPTION**

It was quite dark in the room. It needed more light at night than the unreasonably dim, blue, fluorescent lights casting an eerie glow across everything below it. At the centre was an operation bed, like those found in hospitals and around it were strange machinery and devices beyond the comprehension of any typical student at Valoran Academy. And someone was operating them, typing into a touch-screen.

A deep voice spoke from the shadows beyond the dim light.

"Is the prototype fully functional?"

The person operating the machines scratched his head with one hand while his other remained glued to the digital keyboard.

"Well, it _is_ a prototype, so I claim for the prototype to be a hundred-percent functional."

"What's the rate of success?" asked the deep voice.

"Umm … 90%?" the lights flickered overhead, briefly illuminating the hesitant face of the tall young man operating the machine.

The deep voice sighed. "What is the _actual_ rate of success?"

The young man shifted uncomfortably in his lab coat. "Closer to 75%?"

"The _actual, exact,_ rate of success, Number 6."

"72.5%."

"Hmph. Good enough. We may be able to save most of the body but … things will never be the same for the Subject again."

"Why are you doing this for— _the Subject_?" The young man asked with a tense edge to his voice.

"It's why are _we_ doing this. You agreed to cooperate with me on this in exchange for your pardon. And we're doing this because it is simply our duty to do so."

"There's more to it, isn't there?"

"Your job is to operate the prototype, not ask questions. Do it." The deep voice commanded.

"As you wish."

The young man began entering codes into the machine and a low whirring sound joined the _beeping_ from the digital keyboard.

The deep voice cleared its throat.

"Just as a reminder, you are not to tell anyone else about this _project_. And you definitely are not to tell anyone about the Subject's existence."

"Aren't people going to find out sooner or later about the Subject's existence anyways?" The young man answered as he worked.

"I believe that it would be best to delay the inevitable for as long as possible. I hold you to this under oath, remember, Number 6. You certainly are not to tell your attendant. Do you understand?"

"Just one sec," the young man was typing furiously into the keyboard, his fingers flying across the touch-screen. "I have to enter the coding in under three minutes or the prototype won't successfully activate. It's uhh—a security measure I designed."

"Do you understand me?" the deep voice repeated. "Jason. Jason Brighthammer."

"Ahh—sorry—yes, yes. I understand. Wait but—" Jayce glanced over at the individual in the shadows. "Why does _your_ attendant get to know?"

The deep voice scoffed. "She's the one who retrieved him. Besides—"

He walked out into the dim fluorescent blue light, revealing part of his face. The source of the deep voice was in fact, another young man, though his stature was that of a large, burly, incredibly muscular man. He didn't smile but there was a glint in his eyes that told Jayce that he was satisfied. He had an intimidating face with a scar across one of his eyes.

"I get to make the decisions—it's just one of many perks for being at the top of the Elite."

 **. . .**

 _ **Sona POV**_

"Oh god … this brings back not-so-happy memories." I stood nervously among this students inside the courtyard, at the front row again, though this time, beside Ezreal, Taliyah and Akali. One of them stood on each of my side, as if to protect me from anything that could ever possibly happen.

Lux was still in what seemed like an intensive discussion with the first and second seats on the Elite Ten, or so Ezreal tells me. It was the most serious that I had ever seen Lux become, which slightly worried me. I've never really seen those two male students around the Academy, though that's not a surprise considering they're both seniors.

Ezreal squeezed my hand. "Don't worry. Just hold on to me and I won't let go."

Lux had finished her conversation and was walking over. I started to wave at her but stopped short when I noticed the look on her face. She looked as if she had just seen a corpse.

Taliyah put a hand on her shoulder when she took her place beside Ezreal. "What's wrong? What did you guys talk about?"

Lux stared straight ahead without turning her head and answered. "There's nothing I can tell you. You'll have to see for yourself."

' _See'? What did she mean by that?_ I asked hesitantly. "Have they gathered us here to show us something?"

"Of the like." Lux replied with a rigid expression.

"Students! May I have your _undivided_ attention please?" A figure walked out from under the shade of the gazebo. It was Master Kusho. I held back the urge to walk up to him and punch him, though I doubt I'd reach him before the Sentinels stopped me.

"We have a new student to introduce to you, who will being joining Class 2-A from today onwards, until the semester ends in June."

 _A new student? Why go out of your way to introduce him—or her—to us? Why this extravagant assembly?_

"I implore you all to welcome her with open arms. Help her adjust to the Academy. This student has been accepted under special circumstances and severely lacks social skills, so please, accept her as if she were one of your own—"

" _Is this a joke?"_ I muttered under my breath. _"Since when did he become some nice fairy godmother?"_

"Shh, listen Sona, he's saying something again." Ezreal whispered and I nodded apologetically.

"—even if she gives off the impression of a—how should I phrase it—ah yes—a soulless imbecile."

There he was. The real Master Kusho. Oh how I longed to punch him in his fucking face.

"Please respect her physical impairment as she is confined to a wheelchair and requires a mask which regulates her oxygen intake in order to breathe normally. She was once at the brink of death but a brilliant young scientist graciously offered a new treatment he had devised that was only successful in theory. She is thus, a subject of this experimental treatment and must not be harmed."

 _Oh. So that's why he's being so mushy. To protect an asset of the Academy that was capable of furthering scientific research._

"What a dirty rat. To think for a moment, I believed he was being considerate for a human life—" Ezreal spat. This time, I was the one trying to calm him down.

"The name of this project—" continued Master Kusho, "—is Project Disruption. And this—this is Test Subject Z."

We could not believe what we were seeing. Were our eyes deceiving us? Because the student that had just rolled out into the light of the sun on her wheelchair from within the gazebo—she … she … she couldn't be …

"Our as I'd like to call her," Master Kusho's lips curved up into a sly grin, "Project Z."

The courtyard became dead-silent.

Maybe they didn't recognize her. Perhaps most didn't even know who this student was. After all she was _new_ to the Academy—right?

No.

Everything about her was the same as before, save the metal mask that covered the entirety of her face and metal casts on her legs. Save the fact that she was in a wheelchair. I recognized her instantly. From her long black hair which seemed to flow with the wind, and the two isolated tails in front of each shoulder both tied at the end with dark red ribbons. Even with her uniform on—I've never actually seen her wear her uniform—I could recognize the strong yet frail body of her's. The long, thin arms that used to embrace me from behind.

Wait why _was_ she wearing her uniform? Perhaps to accompany her identity as the _new student?_ That would make sense.

"Lux is this the reason why you're so on edge?" I asked.

To my surprise, Lux shook her head. "Just wait and see."

Master Kusho cleared his throat. "I'd also like to make a second announcement."

I gave the man my attention but my eyes kept flicking back to the student in the wheelchair.

"As you all know, with the tragic death of our beloved student, Zariyah, who was … who was also my daughter—" Master Kusho sniffed.

I rolled my eyes. _What a fake expression._

"—a seat on the Elite Ten has been left vacant. After much deliberation, we have decided to appoint a new individual to the 9th seat on this Elite Council. She is an outstandingly exceptional student from the pool of already exceptional first-years. I am pleased to welcome, Elizabeth Frostguard!"

The gossip was already circulating.

"A first year? On the Elite Ten Council?" someone exclaimed.

"That's unheard of! What is this bullshit?"

"Hey, if the first-year gets to be on the Elite Ten, sign me up too!"

A young girl with long white hair strolled to the front from the back row of students and ascended to the top step of the gazebo, all the while, ignoring the whispers around her. She stopped next to the new student.

Elizabeth, as Master Kusho had introduced her, wore a form-fitting blue dark-blue dress with an odd set of blue pauldrons (*shoulder-plates) protecting her shoulders. Her skin was incredibly pale and white as snow.

She had a confident smile—and let me specify one thing. There were those who smiled with arrogance feigning as confidence. Those were weak at heart and probably weak in general. Then, there were those who smiled with real confidence. Confidence that was natural. There was an old Ionian proverb that described such people.

 _Fortissimum subridens hominum tepidissime._

 _The strongest only smile faintly_.

Though I could not have possibly experienced it, I could tell that she was strong. Immeasurably so. In fact, she was probably stronger than Ezreal. Speaking of Ezreal—I glanced at him and he had the same worried look on his face, furrowed eyebrows and all.

"What the hell? I can't sense any spiritual aura for her." Taliyah squinted her eyes.

"Why is she even here …?"

I looked over to Lux and found a girl, usually filled with joy and positive energy, now scarred with a terrified expression.

"What's wrong Lux?" I asked, but the girl's eyes were glued to the first-year, Elizabeth. "Is this why you've been so—"

"One day, Sona." She interrupted me. "One day, you'll understand that there are people out there that are so powerful their aura is undetectable by those too weak to sense it. Even as Number 3, I can barely grasp onto her spiritual aura."

"Wait you're ranked 3rd on the Elite Ten?" I was shocked. I never really thought about Lux's placement on the Elite Ten Council, only that she was part of it.

"Yeah," Lux brushed the notion aside, as if it were normal for me to be ignorant of her status even after all this time I had gotten to know her.

"What—then is she stronger than the rank they assigned to her?"

"Sona." Lux finally turned towards me. She put a hand on each of my shoulders. "Stay away from her. Do not be fooled by her kind mannerisms."

"Is she strong? I mean, she's only a first year …" I drifted off as Lux's serious expression did not disappear.

"She's a monster." Lux said with her voice shaking. "And she's capable of killing every single one of us in this courtyard without breaking a sweat, including the professors. Probably including Master Kusho as well."

Suddenly, gasps spread across the courtyard. Something had happened in the gazebo. I looked closer and realized what it was exactly. A strange weapon had materialized next to the girl, Elizabeth. It was levitating next to her as Etwahl usually did so next to me when I summoned the ancient instrument. The weapon consisted of four long, jagged blades protruding from a centerpiece: a glowing sapphire orb.

"So um—hi guys!" The girl had started to speak. "As you all know, my name is Elizabeth, but I think that's a boring name. You guys can just call me by my middle name."

"Lissandra." Lux whispered in sync with Elizabeth. I have to say, it was … it was a sinister name.

"What's that weapon you got there?" someone called out from within the crowd of students.

"Oh this?" Lissandra gestured at the weapon. "This is my spirit weapon. The blades are made of half black-steel and half True-Ice. She can take on a humanoid form—I can show you all if you want."

She looked to Master Kusho for approval, who nodded his head nonchalantly.

"Alright then." Lissandra took a deep breath. " _Come forth, from the depths of the Howling Abyss. Come forth."_

A wisp made of what looked like a trail of snow swirled out of the sapphire orb at the center of Lissandra's weapon. The wisp grew into a butt, which eventually began taking a solid form. When the transformation was complete, a shy girl with short-blue hair stood next to the blades. She seemed about the same age as her wielder. Wearing a tight blue jumpsuit with copper-colored armguards, she had a strange blue-metal contraption strapped to her back. To be honest, it looked pretty cumbersome, like it would be a bother to walk around with it. Nevertheless, she made it look effortless.

"This is Irelia." Lissandra put an arm around the female humanoid form and grinned.

"Frostblade Irelia."

* * *

 _ **"Just when you think the story is halfway to completion, the contrary is true. Know that the real journey has just begun."**_

* * *

 **Yep! That's basically my motto. Our motto. Miria and I don't just want a solid, pre-determined storyline. We want the story to grow on its own. To evolve on its own. That's why even though we've planned out a plot-line and determined an ending, what happens in between is up to how the characters in the story want to live. That's what makes them truly alive.**

 **In other words, even though we've planned one thing, at any one moment, the contrary could happen. Writing is a very fickle thing and is not to be shackled by the pen and paper. The characters' lives aren't made** **– they're lived.**

 **If you like this story and haven't already, FOLLOW it! And for those who've already been following know the drill: if you LOVED it, FAVORITE IT! COMMENT in the REVIEW section below to tell us your thoughts on the story! Feel free to PM me for any suggestions or questions regarding the story!**

 **Peace!**

 **~Nightrous (and a persistently dedicated writer named Miria)**

* * *

 **Next Chapter: CHP. 12 - THE STRINGS OF AMENDMENT**

 **SEE YOU THEN!**

 **Chapter 12: The Strings of Amendment**


	12. The Strings of Amendment

**THE SOUND OF MY VOICE**

 **Genres: Drama, Family, Hurt/Comfort, Fantasy, Horror, Romance**

 **Rated: M for** **violence and mature themes.**

 **Author's Note: Another day, another chapter! As you can tell, the chapters are somewhat becoming shorter, and unfortunately, it's because the production has sort of reached a bit of a plateau. And what do I mean by a plateau? The reviews, my good readers, the reviews! Seriously, the more reviews and comments this story gets, the more inspiration drives the engine that is my muse! I'm not kidding: sometimes, a small, subtle comment is all it takes for an author to thrive on!**

 **Of course, even if they never come, the chapters won't stop. I won't allow it. This story has been one of my personal favorite works, and it's been so much fun writing it and pouring my very spirit into it. And most importantly, if I ever stopped writing, it would be as if I had let down every single one of you readers! I hope you all understand and without further ado, enjoy the update!**

 **~Nightrous**

* * *

 _ **"Forgive you may, but never, ever forget."**_ **– Calliope Seraphius Lyreia**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 12: THE STRINGS OF AMENDMENT**

 **Part 1: The Project**

It had been a week since that day.

And throughout the week, I couldn't get a single chance to greet the "new" student. She was constantly surrounded by her own entourage of female students who crowded around her claiming to "protect" her from the likes of harmful people but were in fact probing her for the truth of her identity. They were captivated by her façade and even gave her a nickname. They called her "Project.".

Of course, the Quintet Circle and I knew that she wasn't really "new". Those who weren't blind as hell or rather, those who actually cared in the slightest, knew who the face behind the metal mask was. And they certainly knew that her name wasn't "Project."

 _I'll wait for the weekend. I'll wait for the right time, when the students have all left to return to their homes during the break right before exams,_ I told myself. _It shouldn't be too long of a wait._

As usual, I was wrong about the time. The more I was aware of it, the more I counted the hours, minutes and seconds, the longer it felt. Finally, when the last training session on Friday ended, I looked over at Ezreal and he nodded with acknowledgement. He understood what I had to do, and he understood that I needed to do it alone. I waited for the last of the students to leave the wheelchair-ridden student before I walked over. Actually … I lied. I _rushed_ over almost knocking over one of the training dummies.

When I neared her back, I began to approach with a slower caution. I felt my hands grow cold with nervousness. Gathering my courage in one deep breath, I took one last step forward and placed a hand on her shoulder. Her reaction was as natural as it used to be. Back when we were still … friends. She placed her hand on mine and suddenly I felt overwhelmed. I felt the tears rise up within me, I felt them trail lightly down my cheeks and fall onto the floor of the Training Room. I felt the urge to do something more.

Words wouldn't do anything for either of us now. Despite her having her back to me, and despite her with that mask on, we both knew who the opposite was.

Soon, I leaned forward, my hand had slipped down to her chest and both my arms slid around her neck from behind, embracing her by her shoulders. My head rested on her shoulder and my wet cheeks gently brushed up against her cheeks.

" _H-have y-yo-ou?"_ she whispered after an eternity. The mask altered her voice and added a mechanical echo to it.

"What?" I sounded confused and I was.

" _H-have y-ou-you finally forgiven me?"_

I wept. "Why are you the one who's apologizing? I should be the one apologizing. For being selfish. For being unaccepting. For being unforgiving."

" _Forgive m-me. For being—being a-a coward. I-I tried to r-run away. I tried to—I tried to end my life. Y-you're—you're so much stronger than me."_

"That was my fault." I confessed, my tears, unceasing, my heart throbbing with painful remembrance. "I pushed you to that edge. I refused to see the truth."

" _For—forgive me for b-betraying you-u."_

"You didn't betray me. I was the one who betrayed you by not trusting you."

" _Sona … it's not your fault … this world has been too harsh on you. I'll always find it in me to forgive you."_ The mask made her voice sound like a rasp, but at the same time, it sounded sincere.

"I can't promise to do the same," I blurted. "I want to though. I want to try my best to change into a better person. I thought I was but—I was just playing the victim."

" _No … no Sona. Don't change. You are my anchor to this world and if—if you change, then I will lose all purpose._

"I'm sorry for doubting you." I apologized profusely.

" _I'm sorry for giving you a reason to doubt me. Please—if keep apologizing, we'll never settle this."_ She answered.

"Tell me to do anything and I'll do it."

" _I'm not sure if that's a wise choice, Sona. I … I can be very selfish too sometimes."_

"Just tell me how to make up for it. I will dedicate my life to fulfill it."

" _You don't have to make up for it. Just—just do one thing for me."_

"What is it?"

" _Take off my mask first._ "

"What? I can't do that, won't you die of oxygen deprivation?"

" _Trust me. I can survive for a few minutes without it."_

I circled around her wheelchair so that I could position myself in front of her. Hesitantly, I undid the mechanical clasps that held the mask to her face and lifted the mask, almost afraid of what I would find underneath. I gasped softly. She looked …

… the same as ever. Beautiful, not because she tried, but especially because she didn't.

Except for the fact that she was ghostly pale. And her eyes …

They were of a milky white shade.

She was blind.

"Zed … what happened?!" I was horrified. "Did I do this …?"

"No. The technology that saved me took my eyesight from me. Without the mask, I'm pretty much blind. It's a temporary side-effect and I'll probably regain it by the time the day of the marriage ceremony arrives. _"_ Without the mask, her voice returned to normal, albeit, rendered to a weak whisper.

Almost like how I was when I first met her.

Nevertheless, anger replaced the guilt within me. "You're still marrying that douche?"

" _Sona."_ She raised her hand to cup my cheeks in a painfully slow fashion—it hurt me to realize the severity of the damage she had suffered. _"Sona."_

"Yeah?"

"Jayce is the one who saved my life. He's the one who saved me from what would've been a regretful end."

" _What?!"_ I shook my head. "How is that possible? That—that arrogant fu—?!"

"Apparently, _Number 1's_ attendant was instructed to watch over me. Somehow, he foresaw that in my unstable psychological condition, I would take—hasty measures. Katarina … she was the one who watched me fall and rushed to my aid. But she couldn't make it before I hit the ground. She used _shunpo_ to quickly bring me to Jayce's lab. Jayce was forced to cooperate with _Number 1_ under circumstances unknown to me."

"Then why was there a body found …?"

"A small little mental trigger I set. Whenever I lose consciousness, my subconsciousness automatically casts a concealment spell over my real body and leaves a shadow clone in its place."

"Oh … that's a relief—Zed! Zed put your mask back on!" I scrambled to help her reattach the clasps on the mask as she started choking. Her time limit was up. After a brief panicked struggle, we managed to save her from what would have been another tragic accident.

She sighed after a minute of panting. " _I guess now I don't get a chance for …"_

"For what?" I asked, wiping the tears from my eyes.

" _For what I wanted to do—the reason I told you to take off my metal mask."_

"W-what was that reason?" For some reason, a sense of apprehension tugged at my heart.

" _Something I wanted you to do."_

"W-what—what did you want me to do?" I circled back around her wheelchair and hugged her from behind, resting my chin on her shoulders once again.

" _I wanted you … I wanted you to kiss me. I mean—just once. Like—not for long—I mean like—like I did for you after your concert … never mind, you probably don't remember … forget it—"_ She turned her head away in embarrassment. _"Sorry for making such a weird request."_

I breathed slowly. "I'm not really familiar with the chastity surrounding these things. You know I'm dating Ezreal right now. But—but I guess this wouldn't really count as kissing right?"

Before she could react, I brushed her hair out of the way and leaned in close, breathing on her neck. Then, I grazed the surface of her skin lightly with my lips, and she gasped quietly. Without warning, I suddenly nipped at her neck, sucking on her soft skin. She gripped the armrests of her wheelchair tightly and her breathing became shallower and increasingly erratic.

" _Sona w-where did you learn how to—uhnn!"_ She whimpered softly, careful not to alert any students who might happen to pass by outside the Training Room.

When I finally stopped, there was a light, red bruised mark where my lips had just been. I reddened at the epiphany of what I had just done.

"Umm—sorry Zed—I know that's not what you wanted."

" _No. That was …_ " I could imagine her turning just as flustered as I was. " _That was—more than what I wanted."_

"Oh, is that a good thing?" I suddenly laughed at the ridiculousness of the situation we had put ourselves in.

" _Yeah, you could say that."_ Zed laughed too. _"Sona … you are just full of surprises."_

 **Part 2: Thrice's the Charm**

 _ **Three weeks later …**_

"The number three." I said as I lay back in my garden chair that was more of a lounger than a chair. The sun felt nice on my face.

"What about it?" yawned Lux, who was lying beside me on another one of those chairs.

" _Yeah, what about it_?" asked Zed, who was gazing at me in her chair. She was clearly paying more attention to me than Lux was. Well—at least someone was.

"It's a special number isn't it?"

"What's so special about it?" said Lux. Looks like the girl was paying more attention than I thought she was.

"Well, in Ionia, it's known to be a lucky number. It represents the spiritual essence of life. When several aspects life align with a pattern coherent to the number three, isn't that particular day in which that pattern is recognized a very special day?" I looked at Zed for support.

Zed raised her hands and shrugged. _"Just because I'm from Ionia, doesn't mean I know a lot about its culture. I don't remember much from my childhood besides the intense training my father put my through in the Kinkou Order."_

"But isn't it true? Doesn't what I just said, make sense?" I made gestures with my arms in the air as if that would help prove my point.

" _I guess so"._

"I still don't see what you're getting at." Lux opened one eye to a slit—the relaxing atmosphere of the warm sun and nurturing, cool wind was working against me. I frowned.

"Okay, just listen."

"I'm all ears." replied Lux.

"Today is that day. _Three_ days after the start of our _three_ month summer break, and also, exactly _three_ weeks from Zed and Jayce's marriage. They're supposed to be wedded at exactly noon, and it's currently _three_ hours after noon, which also makes it _three-o-clock._ " I emphasized the number every time I said it.

"Yeahhh … I think you're thinking too much into it." Lux raised an eyebrow skeptically.

"There's also three of us out here in Zed's backyard."

"Now _that's_ an unfair observation because Ezreal, Taliyah, and Akali just so happened to go back into the villa to get us drinks a minute ago." Lux refuted.

I smiled. "Exactly. The _three_ of them just went in."

Lux groaned and rolled over onto her side so she could face me. "Now you're just making stuff up on the spot."

I tried to contain my smugness. "It's not made up if it's true."

"Sona, you're trying to confuse numerical facts with fantasy. It's a far-fetched argument you're making there."

"In a world where magic and dark arts exist? I don't think so."

" _Lux."_ Zed suddenly stated seriously.

"What? What's got you in such a serious tone?" Lux sounded apprehensive.

"Aren't you ranked third in our year AND _Number 3_ on the Elite Ten?" Zed asked.

Lux froze.

"You've got a point."

"So I'm right?" I winked at her and she rolled her eyes.

"Why don't we go get ourselves some drinks too."

"Don't change the topic, Lux." I stuck my tongue out teasingly.

"Come one, Sona, don't be such a kid. Let's go grab some juice for you." She retorted lightly.

I shrugged. "I just turned sixteen two months ago. I'm still pretty sure I'm still what adults consider as _'a kid'._ And hey—you're only one month older than me—and HEY, that makes your birthday March! What a _coincidence!_ Your birthday is the _third_ month of the year! Now isn't _that_ magical."

"Alright, alright, for now, you win the battle." She dragged me by the arm, leading me back into the villa. "But until you've proven to me what all that magic number three nonsense has to do with today, you haven't won the war."

* * *

 **Next chapter's gonna be intense.**

 **And intense ... in a very special, hot kind of way.**

 **It's up to the reader's interpretation to see if I'm right ;).**

 **Remember, if you liked this story, Follow, Favorite, and Review!**

 **Peace! (Signing out!)**

 **~Nightrous and Miria**

* * *

 **Next Chapter: CHAPTER 13 - CRESCENDO**

 **SEE YOU THEN!**


	13. Crescendo

**THE SOUND OF MY VOICE**

 **Genres: Drama, Family, Hurt/Comfort, Fantasy, Horror, (Possibly Romance?)**

 **Rated: M for violence and mature themes.**

 **Author's Note: There are some parts of this chapter that may seem to run-on a bit, but the sentence structure is meant to convey the continuous strain of thoughts of the human mind, so bear with the style if you can :).**

 **Hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

 _ **"Just because you speak, it does not mean they will hear you. Just because you are loud, it does not mean they will understand you."**_ **– Orpheus Magnus Lyreia (pronounced Lir-ree-uh)**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 13: CRESCENDO**

Zed was more financially well-endowed than I had imagined. I had only been to Zed's cottage a few times over the weekends and that had been for working purposes. But I had never been to her villa, and as my first time visiting her actual home, I felt like I was within some sort of grand country estate. The entire property was designed to fit the Ionian ground that it sat on, a full set of traditional Ionian architecture and décor.

It wasn't much of a surprise when we thought about it later, considering that Zed was the daughter of one of the richest men in Ionia and the Grandmaster of the Kinkou Order. Apparently, she also had an older brother who was away on a reconnaissance mission with their father. Meanwhile, Jayce had taken both Morgana and Syndra with him on a confidential assignment under the orders of _Number 1._ So in this one fortunate moment of my life, that left the villa all to ourselves.

As we all finished pouring ourselves drinks from the countertop-island at the center of Zed's extravagant kitchen, I was about to follow the rest of them back outside into the backyard when Zed pulled me aside.

"What's up?" I smiled kindly.

"Come close, I need to tell you a secret."

That perked my attention. I bent forward and leaned in close so Zed could whisper the secret in my ear. As Zed proceeded to take her mask off, I glanced outside. Only an Ionian curtain made translucent by the sun's beams separated us and the kitchen from our friends outside.

"So, you know how I'm supposed to be marrying Jayce in three weeks?" she said softly.

"Yeah."

"And on the night of our marriage, being a traditional Ionian and all, my father expects me to willingly consummate the marriage. That way, his power pact is welded into our blood."

I shivered. "Can't you refu—"

She suddenly grabbed the sides of my face and before I knew it, her lips slammed into mine, kissing me aggressively, catching me off guard. For a few moments, my mind went blank, and when I finally processed what was happening, we had already parted and I was already gasping for air.

"You know I can't refuse my father's orders." She said.

I touched my lips tentatively, as if I had eaten the Apple of Eden.

"What, you didn't like it?" she questioned me as if it were perfectly normal—what she had just done.

 _That's not it. Besides it's not that I hated it …_

"Y-you surprised me. That's all." I replied. My legs quivered beneath me.

"So you _did_ like it."

"Zed … it's not that _simple_."

"Our relationship is anything _but_ simple, Sona."

"We're friends, Zed. I'm … I'm dating Ezreal. I—I love him. I really do." I said, yet, I still traced my thumb on her lips.

"So? It doesn't mean a friend can't teach me what to do when Jayce decides to initiate the consummation." She replied, not a hint of embarrassment in her eyes.

"You want _me_ to teach you? I'm your friend Zed—your best friend, but I don't think this is the right job for me." I laughed nervously and inevitably, an image of a shirtless Ezreal materialized in my mind. _Ugh. Not now._ I rubbed my eyes as if the action would clear my mind of such guilty thoughts.

"Come on—what do you and Ezreal do when you guys have nothing better to do?" she said while smirking. I blushed.

"W-what do you mean? We don't do a-anything. We just sort of … chill." My words were sounding less and less credible with each syllable.

She wrapped an arm around my neck and pulled me close so that our lips brushed against one another but did not exactly kiss.

"Show me the other things you do with Ezreal, like you did in that Training Room last time." She whispered into my mouth.

I hesitated. _If I refuse, will I hurt her again?_

My heart beat quicker, but it wasn't from excitement—it was of dread. It tore from the dilemma of a crossroad that Zed had put before me. There was only one thing I could do. And it was—I believe—the right choice. I caressed Zed's cheeks gently and pressed my lips against her's as tenderly as I could, but then pushed myself away. I gazed at her with pitiful melancholy and she returned the look with one of longing.

"I'm sorry Zed. I love Ezreal and I love you too, but those are two very different kinds of love. And the love I feel for Ezreal keeps me from doing the things you want me to do with you, even if it's to teach you."

She bit her lip, closed her eyes and nodded grudgingly.

"I understand," she heaved a big sighed. Her eyes were beginning to grow moist.

"Here," I handed Zed her mask. "You should put this back on before we join the others outside.

"Yeah—thanks."

"Hey." I brushed my thumb against her cheek in a comforting manner. "You don't have to give in to your father all the way. I'm here for you. _We're_ here for you."

"I-I guess." She said, but didn't sound like she believed me.

 **. . .**

"You guys aren't staying over?! Come on, it's just one night." Lux pouted at us from the doorstep.

"I'm sorry," Ezreal said sheepishly. "We have business to take care of. Family business."

I looked at him strangely as if to say _'we do?'._

He scrunched his eyebrows at me to tell me _'just let me handle this'._

' _I thought it was just because you wanted to cook that new recipe you learned for me,'_ my eyes inquired innocently.

"That too." Ezreal accidentally said aloud. He widened his eyes and held back the urge to cover his mouth.

"What—too?" Lux was taken aback by his nonsensical reply.

"Yeah—what too?" I added. I honestly had no idea what _other_ possible thing he could have in mind that we had to do. _Hold on . . ._ Actually . . . I did have a slight insight into what else he could have _wanted_ to do. Let's just see if I'm right. There's a certain test I can use to determine whether a certain type of Ezreal's desires was active. It's usually, almost always, ninety-five percent accurate.

I slowly shifted my feet so that I was standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Ezreal, though, a subtle bit behind him. Using my the angle to my advantage, I placed the hand that was part of the shoulder adjacent to his shoulder on his hip, right above his butt, and snuck it up his shirt little by little. Now for the crux of the test. I had washed my hands with cold water right before we exited the villa so my hands were conveniently as cold as ice.

Slowly, but surely, my fingers worked their way up his bare spine, unseen by Lux due to my strategic position, sending ecstatic chills all over his body. If he did _that_ , then the test would prove my suspicions true as of his _other_ desire.

 _Anytime now …_ when I reached his mid-back, my fingers swerved off to the left and then trailed down his side as if to lightly tickle him.

 _Anytime now …_

Right as I was about to reach his hip again, a soft whimper escaped Ezreal—to anyone else, it would've been mistaken as another breath but I knew _exactly_ what he wanted now. I stifled my laughter. I then proceeded to slip my hand between his skin and his pants, teasing my way down near his thighs. Lux still hadn't noticed.

I don't want brag, but I was _good_.

"Ahh—I remember now." I suddenly spoke to distract Lux and to keep her from catching on.

I stood on the tip of my toes to whisper into his ear.

" _Is this what you want?"_

"Stop it, Sona, not _now_ —" he whispered back urgently.

" _Is this the other thing that you wanted to do when we supposedly get back to your place?"_ I insisted on an answer.

" _Y-you already know what I mean."_ He sighed resignedly.

"Excuse me, but you guys are doing that lovers' telepathy again. I'm right here, you know, and I'm _dying_ to find out _just_ what you two were talking about in secret." Lux complained.

"Nuh-thing." I said cheerfully. Then, as genuinely as I could. "Just family business."

Lux raised an eyebrow suspiciously, but brightened up. "Oh my goodness, are you introducing her to your parents Ezreal?!"

I whipped my head towards Ezreal, alarmed. _Oh no … Lux's tongue slipped again. And coupled with her forgetfulness … definitely the worst combination._

Ezreal's gaze turned dangerously close to a glare for a brief, inconspicuous moment, then resorted to a disapproving expression at Lux. "That's not funny, Lux. You _know_ what happened to my parents."

Lux took a step back with her mouth wide open. "I am— _so_ , _so_ sorry."

She slapped herself across the forehead and said remorsefully, "You know how inconsiderately forgetful I am."

Ezreal forced a smile. "It's alright Lux. It's only because I've known you for so long that I can understand."

That couldn't be truer. If anyone else other than this close, childhood friend of Ezreal's had asked him about his parents, a certain switch would flip inside his brain, and he would—well—let's just say he would turn into a completely different person. Not a person—

Something completely different. Inhuman.

I had only seen it happen before. Luckily, it was during a training session, so medics were at hand. Of course, being the (probably) the most popular male first-year at the Academy, he had a substantial amount of jealous male students at his tail. One of them, who thought he could use a verbal attack to his advantage, taunted Ezreal about a rumor concerning his parental abandonment during a one-on-one sparring match. The foolish boy thought that he could use such a backhanded method to catch Ezreal off guard but in fact, it achieved the polar opposite result.

Ezreal's eyes flared from their usual sky-blue shade to a white-blue glow, and this glow enveloped the entirety of the eyes. The hairs on his head rapidly shifted into white and grey strands, all traces of its former golden-blond colour completely disappearing. The gauntlet he always wore to channel his magic unclasped itself from his arm and tendrils of cerulean energy erupted from his fingertips, encircling his hands. His palms crackled with power as the released energy took a more solid, yet all the more abstract form—it took a spherical shape which seemed to constantly vibrate and ready to morph into a thousand different possibilities. The sphere seemed as if alive.

Ezreal brought his hand up to his face and seemed to speak an inaudible command to the vibrating sphere of energy, before hurling it the boy. It didn't take more than a second before it was all over. By the time the bright flash had faded from our squinting eyes and the ringing echo from the explosive impact of the attack had left our ears, the boy lay on his back, unmoving.

Only after the medics had rushed to his aid and declared the results of their damage-severity analysis did we discover that all two-hundred and six bones in his body had been shattered.

Later, when Ezreal was chosen as one of the new students to join the Elite Ten, they gave him a name befitting of his accomplishments. The Prodigious Explorer. But behind his back, even to this day, they called him another name. And it wasn't out of admiration. It was out of fear.

 _Indra._

The God of White Lightning.

"We're gonna head off now." Ezreal controlled his breathing. "We'll see you later, Lux."

"Y-yeah. See you two later."

 **. . .**

We walked in silence for the first five minutes on our way back to the station to take a rail-car to Piltover. He said nothing, and so neither did I. All I could do was hold his hand and gaze at him empathetically. He had that distant look in his eyes, one that needed comforting, yet, I knew not how to comfort him. When it came to this kind of loss—I was in just as deep and dark a hole as he was.

"I know what they call me behind my back." He finally spoke up. "I hate it."

"They can call you what they want, but you'll always be _my_ Ezreal." I stopped him and tip-toed to kiss him reassuringly. "Don't listen to them. You're the one who taught me how to shut them out. You're the one who helped me change."

He still had an unsure expression on his face, as if he couldn't focus on one straight path. I kissed him again to grab his attention.

"Focus on me, Ezreal. If you can't think straight, think about me. Let me be your strength."

"My s-strength." Ezreal mumbled. "Y-you're my strength, Sona."

"Yes I am." I affirmed for him. "Don't worry about cooking tonight. I'll do the cooking. You can try that recipe out any other day."

To be completely honest, I was equally as concerned for his kitchen's safety as I was concerned for his mental wellbeing. He didn't need to know about me worrying that his kitchen might burn down if he used it though.

 _Hmm … speaking of cooking, what should I make tonight?_

 _Perhaps …_

Drip.

Drip.

I looked up at the sky, which had suddenly been taken over by dark, grey clouds. I didn't even notice the weather transition. It was strange too—Ionian weather forecast said nothing about rain today. Nevertheless, another drop grazed my forehead.

 _Oh no. We don't have an umbrella._

It was starting to sprinkle.

"Ezreal, how far is the station?" I asked quickly.

He was alerted too. "At least another twenty minutes."

The sprinkle was going to shower soon.

"We're not going to make it." I frowned. "It's going to start pouring in another two or three minutes."

"We wouldn't make it to the station even if we made a run for it."

"We _could_ just walk in the rain. I like doing that sometimes." I shrugged.

Ezreal shook his head. "You're going to get a cold. I don't want you getting sick."

I smiled at that. "Awhh, Ezreal, you're caring for me now. Now you're back to normal."

"I always care for you." Ezreal blushed. "Come on. I think it'd be best just to return to Zed's villa and camp out until the rain stops."

"Are you sure?" I asked with a subtle skepticism. "What about that _family_ business that you wanted to take care of?"

Ezreal reddened even further. "W-we can do that any other time."

"Oh, can we now?" I teased.

Ezreal pulled me by the arm and I yelped while laughing.

"Hurry up," he grumbled, but his smile was already hinting at its return. "Just because you love getting sick, doesn't mean I do."

"Alright, _dude_ , I'm coming." I mustered as masculine a voice as I could, attempting to imitate a guy who just recently hit puberty.

Ezreal did a double take at me, horrified.

"Please don't ever call me ' _dude_ ' again. Coming from you, it's just … not right.

I shivered, the hairs on the back of my neck standing up—I had to agree with him. "Yeah. It's sounds incredibly creepy."

 **. . .**

The rain came upon us earlier and harder than we expected. By the time we arrived back at Zed's villa, we were soaked form head to toe. Lux answered the door for Zed and was both shocked and thrilled to see us.

"I knew you guys wanted to come back!" she declared triumphantly. "Didn't want to miss out on the fun, did you?"

Ezreal bowed his head towards Zed, who had rolled over in her wheelchair to greet us again.

"Sorry Zed, I'm afraid we might have to spend the night after all." He said grimly but for all the wrong reasons.

" _Oh don't apologize_. _I heard that the station had closed down over the radio. Due to imminent torrential downpour._ " Zed replied in her metallic rasp. _"Besides, the more the merrier."_

Somehow, coming from that strange, metal mask, the phrase had lost its original meaning.

"Well?" Taliyah called from the living room. "Don't just stand there freezing in the rain—come on in!"

Lux handed us a stack of white towels as we awkwardly made our way through the door, dripping with rainwater and creating unnecessarily large puddles across the front foyer.

"There's a spare guest room upstairs, at the end of the hall to your right. There's also a washroom inside." Zed informed us. "You can use that room to clean up before coming down for dinner. You better hurry—especially you, Sona. I'm making your favorite—"

I whipped around on my way up the stairs, almost tumbling down had Ezreal not been there to catch me. "Deep-fried bitter-melons seasoned with dried egg-yolk?!" I said in one breath.

"Yep."

"You still remember." I grinned.

"Of course I do." She said, then playfully punched Ezreal. "You better learn how to make this dish for my best friend."

"Alright, alright, one thing at a time." Ezreal said exasperatedly. "Let's go dry off first, Sona."

I offered him my hand and he took it, bringing me up the stairs as if I were some sort of princess or highborn.

"Guys—we're right here!" Lux stamped her feet. "You don't need to bleed your affection all over us too."

Ezreal hugged me tight and gazed down at Lux from the top of the stairs. "I'm sorry if we're too much for your eyes." He said in his mockingly cute voice. I found it kind of hot.

Lux groaned. "Ezreal, you're so lucky our Sona is tolerant enough to handle you."

I smirked and placed a hand on Ezreal's chest, playing my part. "Actually, Lux, I find this part of him kind of charming."

"Oh god no—he's infected you too." Lux pretended to grow faint, feeling her own forehead with the back of her hand.

Zed tapped Lux's shoulder. "Lux, we can mourn Sona's transformation together, but at a later time. I think you have a certain _something_ to tend to."

Lux widened her eyes and for a moment, looked as if she were really going to faint. She grew pale. "The chicken!"

Simultaneously, Akali called from the kitchen in her small voice. "Umm, Lux, I think the chicken dish you were supposed to be in charge of is going to overcook soon."

As Lux and Zed hurried back to the kitchen, Ezreal led me to the guest room that Zed had told us about. When we entered through the wooden sliding-door—almost every door in the villa was a wooden sliding-door, courtesy of its traditional Ionian theme—we found a modest yet adequately spacious room, complete with a double-bed, working desk, wardrobe, and a side-door that led to the room's personal washroom. The washroom had a more modern touch to it, still consisting of classic Ionian design and décor, but obviously, built to fit our modern needs.

Without thinking twice, I selected a towel at random from the stack Lux had given us, throwing the rest on the bed, and helped Ezreal remove his shirt. He did the same for me, though he was slightly more conscious about his actions. Our clothes were so wet that they stuck to our skin, making them slightly translucent.

"Turn around." I ordered Ezreal.

"Oh m-my bad, I forgot that you probably want to change into new undergarments too, well I wouldn't know, I mean I wouldn't exactly _know_ know because I usually don't wear anything underneath my shirt and I—"

"Ezreal!" I exclaimed.

"W-what?" he exclaimed back at me.

"I was just planning on drying your back for you."

"Oh. Well um—" he turned around shyly. "Here's my back."

I didn't know whether to laugh or shout at him. Sometimes, he could be _so_ clueless. I took a deep breath to regain my composure, and began patting his back down with the towel in hand, making sure to cover every spot of his upper body.

A streak of light flashed outside, followed by a loud rumbling moments later. I paused and gazed out the window. The sky was completely overtaken by dark storm clouds. _It wasn't only a torrential downpour. There was an incoming thunder storm._

Striding over to the bed to fetch a new towel to replace the current, already soaked one, I took a brief moment to sit on the bed, untangling the knots in my wet hair. My eyes, without meaning to, slowly made their way to Ezreal's face. He wasn't paying any attention to me, instead, captivated by the rain outside. The lightning struck again, illuminating his face—every little detail of it. His golden-blond hair was thrown back, kept from falling over his eyes. Before I knew it, I had raised my hand towards him, as if trying to grasp something that was out of my reach.

" _Elliot."_ The name barely escaped my lips, like pollen from a flower. It was as light as a Sakura petal in the wind. As gentle as the flutter of a butterfly's wings. Perhaps that was what started it all.

He looked at me with that languishing, lost look in his eyes.

 _You are my strength. Thus I am your strength._

I fell forward, from the bed, into his arms, pressing my ears against his bare chest.

" _Elliot."_ I repeated, as if his name held all the power in the world. "I can hear you heart beating."

I sat up and in turn, he fell into my arms, doing as I had done to him.

"I can _feel_ your heart beating." He peered up at me through those sparklingly blue eyes. " _Sonata."_

The next thing I knew—I was lying on my back, on the bed, with Ezreal hovering over me, his arms on both sides of my head, his face, inches from mine, his lips, oh his _sweet_ , soft lips, descending, slowly, slowly, ever so tantalizingly, until finally, _finally_ , they had the mercy to grace me with their presence. He tasted different today—sweeter, like honey and coconut, like nectar and ambrosia are to gods in the ancient mythology.

 _I learned something new today._ He said, or thought, or did both. I couldn't tell the difference anymore, and I didn't care.

 _What is it?_ I yearned for more of him.

 _Humans. We're such cold creatures._ He didn't need to say it for me to know it.

 _But you're warm. So warm._ I replied, letting the heat from his body envelop me.

 _So are you._ Every single one of his ragged breaths next to my ear sent a euphoric jolt through my body.

I closed my eyes as he closed in and rained down on me. The sound of the storm soon faded from our minds and soon, so did everything else around us. Eventually, the only thing left that I was aware of was _him_.

The love of my life.

 **. . .**

We acted as if nothing had happened in the short time before dinner. Zed handed out bowls of rice to everyone before handing me the plate of deep-fried bitter melons. Because of where she was sitting, Ezreal had to reach out and receive the plate for me before placing it carefully beside my bowl. However, as he did so, his arm accidentally brushed up against my chest, causing me to yelp in pain.

"Oh _shit_ , are you okay?" Ezreal gasped. Then he said in a quieter tone, though it was possibly one of the worst attempts at a whisper I had ever witnessed. "Does it still hurt? You know … _you know where_?"

I slapped his arm. "Be _careful_ , Ell—Ezreal. I _told you_ that's not the only place that started feeling sore."

Lux squinted her eyes at us. "Did something _happen_ between you two?"

"Nope." I answered immediately.

"Nothing at all." Ezreal followed suit.

We looked at each other and nodded in unison. _Nailed it._

Too bad it only looked that way from our perspective because for the rest of the dinner, all we got were suspicious stares from the other girls.

Go figure.

* * *

 **Cheeky Chapter ;)**

 **Plenty of hints throughout the chapter as to what is actually happening, but we'll leave it up to the readers to interpret the meaning of the words we have put before you. It wasn't as _hot_ as we promised but of course, we like to leave the details up to you to fill in using your imagination. It's going to take a deep dark dive next chapter so we hope you're all prepared.**

 **Remember to Follow this story if you want updates as soon as they're posted and Favorite it if this story really strikes a _chord_ with you xD. Leave a comment in the Review section below to let us know your thoughts! They really help with the speed of the updates!**

 **Signing out,**

 **Miria and Nightrous**

* * *

 **Next Chapter: CHAPTER 14 - THE CADENCE OF CALAMITY**

 **SEE YOU THEN!**


	14. The Cadence of Calamity

**THE SOUND OF MY VOICE**

 **Genres: Drama, Family, Hurt/Comfort, Fantasy, Horror, Romance**

 **Rated: M for violence and mature themes.**

 **Author's Note: We're back! Well at least for the time being. We're sorry for taking such an extended hiatus but things are slowly starting pick up now. Both Nightrous and I have been going through some tough times in the past three months (phew). Anyways, here's a short chapter to bring the story back where it was!**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

" _ **Every breath you take is another's last."**_

* * *

 **CHAPTER 14: THE CADENCE OF CALAMITY**

Darkness is not something that exists. That's a common misconception among many typical humans. It cannot be created. It is an intangible idea, created by the human mind to justify the lack of something. The lack of light. Therefore, the concept of creating darkness is in fact, taking away the light from the surrounding atmosphere. Kylsviel understood that.

Yet here he was, shaking in his aristocratic black leather boots, terrified of the circumstances before him that seemed to defy logic itself. He, like many other highborn Zaunites, learned to master the darkness, to escape tight situations if need be, to hide in it when confronted with a danger that he could not fight. It was a cowardly way, yes, but it was a way that would ultimately ensure their survival.

However, despite the cover of the night that should've been plenty sufficient, he felt the darkness around him somehow grow _darker_.

 _That's impossible,_ he thought frantically, _there is no light to take away anymore._ Nevertheless, the darkness that he had become so accustomed to suddenly seemed to betray him, seemed to envelop him and choke him, seemed … alive.

" _Can you feel it?"_ A mechanical growl sounded from behind him. " _Suffocating you?"_

The man yelped in fear and whipped around, trying to find the source of the voice. "Where are you?! Show yourself you coward!"

Soft, wet footsteps started circulating the man. _"Oh? I'm the c-c-c-coward?"_ Even the unintentional glitch in the beast's speech seemed to mock him.

"S-show yourself!"

" _You know, you Zaunite highborns may have learned to hide in the darkness."_ The beast's voice came from somewhere in front of the man. " _But I was born in it. Molded by it. I didn't see the light until I was already a man, by then it was nothing to me but BLINDING."_

Before he knew it, a flash of silver flew through the air and slashed at his chest, opening up a fresh wound. He cried out and clutched at the wound, attempting to stop the bleeding but to no avail. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a green crystal and immediately crushed it in his hands.

" _H-heal."_ He chanted. The crystal's particles glowed for a moment but subsequently faded out. "What?! Why isn't the health-crystal working?"

Kylsviel glared at the growing outline of the beast with his bloodshot eyes. "What have you done to me?"

The beast chuckled a bestial chuckle. " _I'm sure you've heard of the legendary weapon, the Mortal Reminder. My claws are made from the same metals as the tips of its arrows. From Executioner's Silver"_

"That's impossible! _Executioner's Silver_ can only be found in Demacia and even then, such a precious metal is heavily guarded by Demacian Royalty! Just who in the hell are y— _ack!_ " the man choked on his own blood.

" _I'd suggest you not waste your words on baseless assumptions, Kylsviel Lavonnica. You don't have much time left to live. If you want to treasure these last few minutes, you will tell me what I want to know."_ The beast sniffed the air as if to savour the scent of the quivering man's blood.

"What do you want?!"

" _That's easy. Information. Tell me about your superior."_

"I-I don't know what you're talking about." The man shifted back slowly.

" _You can't lie to me. I can smell the lies off of you. You are covered in HIS scent."_ The beast pressed the tip of his claws against the man's abdomen.

"You won't get a single word out of me." The man said even as he groaned in pain. His head spun—he was losing too much blood.

" _That's what they all say before they scream."_

The beast slowly, torturously, sunk his claws into the man's skin. At first, the Kylsviel gritted his teeth and his face grew red from the effort but without warning, the beast pulled out his claws, ripping the man's flesh out with him.

" _AAAGGHH!"_ The man screamed in agony.

" _Now. Tell me where your superior is. You might as well do so. No one escapes from me twice. He can't hide forever."_

"Not … a single … fucking … word …" the Kylsviel said weakly, though his gaze remained defiant.

The beast seemed to smirk, though it was hard to tell in the darkness.

" _You are significantly more tolerant of pain than my previous victims. I commend you for your efforts. Here—this might help with the bleeding."_ The beast produced a vial out of thin air and emptied its liquid green contents onto Kylsviel's new wounds.

"Go to hel _—AAAAGHHH!"_

" _Is your life really worth losing over a single clue? That's all I require from you. One modest, tiny little clue."_

" _Heh._ I'm your best chance at finding Ixion. You c-can't kill me." Kylsviel grinned wildly.

" _Yes I can."_

" _Wha—?!"_ The man begun to say but was cut short as beast swiftly slit his throat. It took less than a hundredth of a second for the entire kill to happen.

The beast sighed. _They all think they're all so special. As if the possession of valuable information acts as an automatic free pass against death._

The beast took a step forward but found himself standing in a large puddle. He waited for the surface of the water to settle before gazing at his reflection. Closing his eyes he tried to pull a picture from the past but got nothing. He growled. _Why can't I remember?_

 _Why can't I remember what I used to look like … before this?_

Before he could turn to leave, the sound of metal slicing through the air whizzed right past his ear. Metal thunked into metal. Whipping around, he noticed the two metal blades that had missed him by a mere centimetre.

 _Where?!_

A figure slipped out of the shadows. Instead of legs, she had long blades in their place.

"You're not the only one born in the shadows." She spoke with a Piltoverish accent.

" _Who are you?"_ the beast backed away. He could tell that the woman was dangerous.

"Don't be a fool. You know perfectly well who I am. I have been tailing you for the past few weeks. You're wanted for 146 different felonies under Piltoverish jurisdiction."

The beast dropped his pretentious ignorance. _"This is Zaun, Camille Ferros. You have no jurisdiction here. And even if you wanted to bring me in, you don't even know if you're capable of such a feat."_

"Nobody escapes from me twice." The woman informed him coldly.

" _What a coincidence, that's what I just told the guy I killed."_

"As a fellow soldier, I'm going to give you a rare instance of mercy. A choice. You can come with me without retaliating or I can bring your dead body in."

" _Don't you have to inform me of my rights first?"_

"Serial murderers don't _get_ rights. You're lucky I haven't already killed you. The only thing saving your hairy behind is the fact that I've chosen to work for Piltover's Law Enforcement. A matter of policy." Camille was growing irritated.

" _Where's your proof of my past 146 felonies, officer? How do I know you're not making baseless assumptions as to my identity?"_

Camille scoffed. "Are you stupid? Everyone at Piltover Law Enforcement knows your ugly face, Warwick. You know what they call you back at head-quarters? _The Uncaged Wrath of Zaun._ "

" _That's quite an exaggeration. I don't think I deserve such credit. Besides I don't go by that name anymore."_ Warwick scoffed back at her.

"I don't care what you call yourself. I was ordered to bring you in and I intend on doing so. Now we can do this two ways, and you know how both end. I recommend the option that involves neither of us getting hurt."

" _Hmm, it is rare that I don't smell someone's fear. Perhaps you do have strength behind those words. Untested strength."_

Without warning, Warwick rushed at Camille and began a vicious assault with his claws slashing at his adversary, blurred from the speed of their attacks. Camille reacted just as quickly, parrying with her leg-blades. It looked as if she were dancing a dangerous ballet, like a spinning top that cut everything in its way.

A flash of sparks flew up as their blades met one last time before they broke apart. If either of them were tired, they didn't show it.

" _What's wrong? Had enough already?"_.

"Strange. You seemed more … bestial in our previous encounter." Camille said.

" _What are you talking about?_ " the beast growled.

"Oh, nothing much." Camille shrugged. "It's just that I've heard whispers that the _Wrath of Zaun_ has grown rather soft."

" _Whispers that you will realize are misguided, as soon as my silver claws rip a hole in your side."_ Warwick said threateningly.

Camille ignored him. "I've also heard whispers that the beast has taken in … a child. A child which currently attends a prodigious school in Valoran."

Warwick's eyes lit up with fury. _"You would go to such means to gain leverage?"_

"My superior's orders. Not mine. But yes—if it is to keep you under control, then such leverage is necessary."

" _The men I am killing are criminals!"_ Warwick exclaimed in his deep voice.

"Regardless, the felonies you've committed cannot be excused simply by vigilantism. You will turn yourself in or that child you've taken in will encounter … difficulties." She replied.

" _My time to surrender has not come yet. If that day comes, I would willing turn myself in. But until then, my mission continues. And you—stay away from her or I swear to the Valaron gods, I swear I will make you beg for death."_

"Then this girl will suffer for your misdeeds." Camille said.

" _This girl_ — _has a name. And she has powerful friends. I'd like to see you try._ " Warwick retracted his claws and turned away from her.

"You can't run forever—!" Camille shouted, but he beast had already disappeared into the cover of the night.

* * *

 **We apologize if the quality of this chapter wasn't as up to the standard of the previous chapters, but we just wanted to update the story as soon as we could, so we hoped you readers actually enjoyed it!**

 **Feel free to drop a comment in the Review section below to let us know your thoughts on the fanfic!**

 **Signing out,**

 **Miria and Nightrous**

* * *

 **Next Chapter: CHAPTER 15** - **FROZEN DANCE**

 **SEE YOU THEN!**


	15. Frozen Dance

**THE SOUND OF MY VOICE**

 **Genres: Drama, Family, Hurt/Comfort, Fantasy, Horror, Romance**

 **Rated: M for violence and mature themes.**

 **Author's Note: As promised, we're trying to pick up the pace in which the chapters are updated, hence another early chapter, however, they'll be somewhat shorter.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 ** _"Don't you want to know what happened? Aren't you curious? Or will you simply close your eyes and let the cold take you?"_**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 15: FROZEN DANCE**

" _Haaah, haaah, haaah,"_ a girl breathed heavily. She stood at the center of what seemed to be some sort of giant sparring arena.

 _How did it become this way? It's only been five minutes and I'm already this worn out?_ She struggled to stay conscious. _Even my enhanced sensory abilities are dulling?_

Even the long _ultra-light_ iron pole she had chosen as her physical weapon seemed to grow heavier by the second. She leaned on it, using it for support.

Her opponent had only focused on evading her attacks, and hadn't taken any steps towards beginning her assault yet. And her opponent was good. _Too_ good to be true. She almost felt like she was chasing after a target she couldn't catch.

 _She's somehow dodging my telekinetic attacks too. How the hell is she doing it?_ She gripped her iron pole in frustration.

 _Despite what people have said about me, I've always chosen my fights carefully. That's why I've never lost a single fight. Have I finally gone beyond my depth? Have I finally tripped up?_

 _Have I finally failed?_

 _ **. . .**_

 _ **24 hours earlier …**_

A girl with long dirty blonde hair, sitting at the end of the long table in the spacious room, made an exasperated sound. She turned her head slightly, allowing the rays of sunlight coming from the window behind her to illuminate her the pale beauty that was her face. She was one of the three girls that attacked Sona.

"They're calling it the Quintet Circle. That bitch and her elite posse."

"You're just jealous, Anna." A girl sitting at the opposite end of the table said.

"Fuck off. We need to do something."

"What do you mean? It's our summer vacation, we should enjoy it the best we can, not stumble after some stupid girl waiting for an opportunity to shit on her. It's such a waste of time."

Anna glanced at her friend appallingly. "How _dare you_ say it's a waste of time? Don't forget that you _asked_ to join this group, Lissandra."

"Your anonymous bribing scheme involving Jayce already failed, as you can see now with even Zed joining the Quintet Circe. You wasted your time and money and now what? You want to continue to waste more time and more money?" Lissandra shook her head and sighed.

"What are you talking about? Zed's dead you stupid little shit. And I'll just bribe Jayce again. He didn't seem like he cared last time and he did a pretty good job acting as if he were legitimately that much of an ass." Anna scoffed. "And if that doesn't work, we'll use the power and influence of this Club to publicly shame her."

"No you won't." Lissandra said firmly. "Three reasons that you're probably too blinded by hate and jealousy to see. The first is that Jayce is evidently already under the Elite Ten's hold. The second is that you're going to have to find something that will resonate with your audience, something that can't be based off of any more false truths. The audience needs to trust your judgement before they commit to your idea. And trust me, you're not going to find anything significantly damning about Sona. I've already read her inside out. She's almost as pure as an unripe peach. The third reason is the most obvious. You should've noticed by now."

Lissandra placed both her hands on the table slowly. "Jayce is starting to fall in love with Zed. Maybe he himself doesn't know it yet. But you could tell from the way he looked at her at my inauguration into the Elite Ten the other day. In the courtyard."

Anna made a strange face of disbelief at Lissandra. "Again, _what_ in the _hell_ are you talking about? I told you, Zed's fucking dead as a cucumber."

This time, it was Lissandra who made a face. "That expression doesn't even make any sense. And Zed isn't dead, you braindead acorn. Who do you think that _new_ girl with the mask is? _Project Z_ is pronounced Project Zed not Project Zee. God, you're stupid."

"Who the fuck do you think you are? You're talking to your President." Anna flared up.

"Hmm, I don't think so. If I were to be honest, I should be the President." Lissandra replied curtly. "I'm not going to let you throw the Media Club's budget down the drain pursuing some worthless goal."

"I can do whatever I want with the budget, you imp. _I'm_ the President of this club and I'm not just going to give the seat up to you." Anna said with an edge.

Lissandra's lips twitched into a smile. A cold, calculating smile.

"Then why don't I duel you for it?" she tilted her head inquisitively.

"Duel me?" Anna sounded confused.

"Don't be silly—of course, we're duelling for the Club President's seat." Lissandra said as-a-matter-of-factly.

"Are you crazy?" Anna raised her voice.

"Nope. I'll give you two options. Either you acknowledge that I'm stronger and willingly 'pass' your seat to me, or you can suffer the embarrassment of both getting beat down and losing your seat to me in a Scrap Match."

Anna slammed the table and stood up, knocking over her chair.

"You think you're something, don't' you? Just because you're a first year and you made it onto the Elite Ten Council? You're _really_ going to regret this _Elizabeth_ _Frostguard_." She clenched her fist. "I'm going to show you that Elite Ten doesn't mean _shit._

"Hmm, no." Lissandra shrugged. "I don't think so. I think you're ignorant enough to think that one can just _make it_ onto the council. We don't submit applications or anything of the sort. There's no selection process. We simply get appointed by the existing Council Members."

She exhaled deliberatively. As she did so, a wisp of steam-like vapor escaped from her mouth. She continued.

"You're also naïve to think you can beat me."

"Oh? I doubt it. You probably don't know, do you? I specialize in Extrasensory Perception. Especially in sensing the potency of others' auras. And right now, I'm not sensing anything. Not because I'm incompetent. But because you're just that weak." Anna shrugged. "I don't know how you got _appointed_ to the Elite Ten Council but it probably had something to do with bribery didn't it?"

Anna grinned confidently. "That's right Lissandra. I'm going to call your bluff."

"Ahh, you got me." Lissandra raised her hands up in the air resignedly. Then she stared directly into Anna's eyes. "So you've got nothing to be afraid of right? Why don't you accept my challenge then?"

"Hmph. You want to embarrass yourself that badly? Fine. I accept your challenge. Tomorrow, at noon. We'll do it at Valoran Sparring Gym."

"The VSG?" Lissandra seemed to hesitate. "There's usually quite a lot of students there."

"Are you scared?" Anna raised an eyebrow challengingly.

"No. Sounds perfect. I'm assuming this meeting is adjourned then. See you tomorrow." Lissandra grabbed her bag, stood up, bowed courteously and strode out of the room.

 **. . .**

 _ **Back in the present …**_

"Oi, oi! Look. They've started already!" a voice from outside the Gym exclaimed. The excitement was contagious.

"Oh shit, who's scrapping?" another asked.

"It's the first year! The one on the Elite Ten. She's scrapping against—oh my god it's Anna! Anna Fleming! President of the Media Club! She's one of the most influential students at Valoran Academy!"

A large amount of spectators had already gathered in the Viewing Gallery above the Valoran Sparring Gym. They pushed back and forth, bickering for a better spot for spectating the Scrap Match.

Meanwhile, below them, Anna struggled to stand.

 _Come on. Focus. Focus. Focus!_

Anna gasped for air, which seemed to run _away_ from her.

 _It doesn't make any sense._ _Why is it so hard to breathe in here?_

The world seemed to spin around her. Her senses were dulled beyond use. Her entire body was plagued by an odd fatigue she had never felt before and her muscles twitched from exhaustion.

She dropped her pole and fell forward, managing to grab her knees—which were also shaking—before she collapsed.

 _Come on! Focus!_

But she couldn't. The figure across from her had become a blurry shadow under the darkness of her drooping eyelids. Her opponent no longer looked like a solid shape.

"Finding it hard to breathe?" Her opponent's voice echoed softly.

Anna blinked and suddenly, the figure was right beside her. _Lissandra what the hell did you do?_

"Don't be surprised. I told you this was going to happen. If you're curious as to why your telekinetic attacks aren't hitting me, it's not because I'm dodging them. It's because they're simply not reaching me." Lissandra sighed disappointingly. "Still—I thought this match would at least be a bit more … interesting. Guess you're not actually the strong telekinetic everyone else thinks you are."

 _Strong …_ There was only one thought that was in Anna's mind. _So … strong. But if so, why can I still not sense any aura from her?_

"I'm going to provide a little bit of insight to you, Anna, as to why you're losing this fight. Just a bit of merciful assistance to a struggling opponent. You know how everyone in the Academy that matters, eventually gets their own cute nickname? It's the same with us member of the Elite Ten! You want to know what they call me, Anna?" Lissandra spread her arms out wide dramatically. " _The Absolute Zero_. I find it quite fitting."

Lissandra leaned placed a hand on Anna's shoulder and leaned closer to her, whispering into her ear. "I have the ability to reduce every quantifiable element within the range of my perception to _zero._ To nothing. That's why you can't sense my aura. Because—well—I've reduced it so it's practically inexistent. It doesn't matter how extra-sensitive you are or whatever bullshit you bragged to my face yesterday. You can't sense what's not there in the first place. I've also dulled your senses to the point in which you're no longer fit for battle. This ability works especially well on weaker opponents. Of course, it's not anything like an omnipotent ability. It has its limits. I can't control _everything_ at one time. I also can't use the _zero_ ability on things that are immeasurable. That's a given though."

" _Fin—do it—"_ Anna mumbled weakly.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" Lissandra cupped her ear. "What did you say?

" _Finish it then. Do it! Finish me off."_ Anna nearly growled.

Lissandra took a few steps back and nodded in acknowledgement. "Ahh, of course, I was planning on doing so. But let's make it a dramatic ending, shall we? Everyone loves a good story."

She dropped her arms by her side and turned her palms so that they faced Anna. "One last tiny gift of insight for you before we end things though. Every ability has the potential to thrive in a diverse spectrum of ways. There are a myriad of different ways I could use this power of mine. But if I focus on training it in a few specific areas, then those areas become ten times more potent. Like this."

The steam-like vapor escaped from all over Lissandra's body now, but the energy emanating from her now-unconcealed aura wasn't hot. It was cold. _Freezing_ cold. The vapor encircled her body like thick tendrils.

" _Flash freeze."_ She whispered.

Without warning, she thrusted her hands at Anna, palms facing the sky, fingers bent rigid like claws. It happened so quickly only two individuals in the crowd understood the phenomenon before them. In less than the time it took to blink, the entire half of the arena extending from beyond where Lissandra stood was covered with ice. The supposedly resilient windows separating the Viewing Gallery from the Sparring Gym cracked from the frost that had grown so fast it managed to seep into the diamond glass.

Anna appeared the same as she had a moment ago, bent over with her hands on her knees, but was now frozen still, covered with ice from head to toe.

Her eyes were lifeless.

"Oops." Lissandra made a pretentiously alarmed face. "I think I might've killed her.

The expression was soon replaced by a smile of frighteningly innocent glee.

"Hehe. It was just an accident."

* * *

 **Can anyone guess who the two people in the crowd (that were able to understand what had happened in the arena) were? Leave a comment below if you've got an idea!**

 **Signing out,**

 **Miria and Nightrous**

* * *

 **Next Chapter: CHAPTER 16 - MINUET OF DESIRE**

 **SEE YOU THEN!**


	16. STATUS UPDATE

**I've posted something similar for my other story, Reunions, but since this is also one of my past favorite projects, even though it remains regrettably unfinished, I thought you readers deserved to know what happened to me. I'm currently writing two of my own, original stories under the pen-name Lightrous, and they're both still in the works but are steadily growing. I was feeling a bit suffocated by the limits of fanfiction, as I had so many ideas that I couldn't flush out because of of plot/character contradictions with the original sources' lore. Regardless of the fact that I was writing AU, I was still limited by the basic foundations, infrastructures and characters of a world I didn't create, and to me, it felt like I was cheating myself out of my desire to achieve originality. I know to some of you, it sounds arrogant, but I assure you, in no way do I feel like I'm "above" those who write fanfiction. I simply feel limited by it, no more, no less.**

 **If you're interested in any of the original stories I'm currently writing, you can go to my fanfiction profile. I have all the details posted there including the link to my wattpad profile (where I've been posting).**

 **Of course, with Miria's persuasion, we decided to write something special as a sort of ... good bye letter? No, it can't be goodbye! It can't be! And it won't be :).**

 **You can call it what you want, but here's our little gift to all you readers! We hope you enjoy!**

 **~Signing out,**

 **Nightrous and Miria**

* * *

 ** _"What we desire and what we want are two very different things. Our desires are uninhibited and are the manifestation of our selfish needs but our wants take into account what is right and merge those values and virtues with our desires."_**

* * *

"You're going already?" I pouted.

"Yeah," said Ezreal with a hint of disappointment in his voice. "The Council just called an emergency meeting. No specifics given."

I wrapped my arms around him tighter and pressed my face against his shirt. Though we had done the deed, we both still retained a sense of timid modesty so he wore a shirt and boxers to bed and I wore a loose pajama-blouse over my underwear. I didn't bother wearing the top half of my undergarments—I usually never wear it to sleep—because with those straps over my shoulders and behind my back for already over half the day they became, well, uncomfortable. Ezreal didn't seem to mind.

"Don't go." I whispered. "At least stay a little longer."

He kissed me on the forehead and said softly, "I can't. I'm going to be late, Sona."

"Okey." I looked up at him sleepily and he kissed me on the lips. My entire body grew hot as our lips lingered for a few moments more before finally separating.

I gazed at him with my eyes half-open, peering at his smooth bare back as he took off his shirt, which, to my disappointment, soon disappeared under yet another garment of clothing—a white dress shirt. He tightened a red tie around his neck after buttoning up all the shirt's buttons and then slung the Academy uniform, a simple light-black jacket decorated with white cuffs and the Academy insignia on its breast pocket.

As he finished changing and closed the closet door, I caught a glimpse of something unfamiliar among the contents of his closet.

"Ezreal," I twisted my body so I could look him in the eye. I was too lazy to leave the comfort of the blankets that enveloped me. "What was that, something I just saw in your closet?"

He stared at me as if I was mad and then moved his hands in a gesture that told me he was genuinely confused. "I'm sorry, you're going to have to be more specific, Sona."

"That long black hanger-bag looked like it concealed something. Do you have clothes that you want to hide from me?" My skepticism began to wake me from my slumber.

"N-nothing important." He said quickly. I'm pretty sure he stuttered ever so slightly.

"Mmm, really? Because I swear I caught a glimpse of an article clothing within that bag that looked suspiciously like a purple dress shirt underneath a dark grey vest. Quite a debonair set of formal wear, wouldn't you agree?"

"Uhhh—" Ezreal struggled to give me an answer. Something was definitely up.

"You're a terrible liar, Elliot." I used his first name to command more of his confidence away from him.

"It's nothing you need to worry about … as of now." Ezreal chose his words carefully.

I slipped out of bed and casually stripped out of my blouse, ending up behind him as he adjusted his tie. Sneaking my arms under his, I embraced him from behind, standing on the tips of my toes before kissing the part of his neck that I knew was more sensitive to him. He shivered but kept his composure. I smiled.

"Oh really? You know I don't mind you keeping secrets from me, but I'll eventually find them out for myself." I whispered in his ear before nipping the other side of his neck.

"This side of you … is scary sometimes … scarily … effective … uhnn—" He bit down hard on his lip before I could get any more of a reaction out of him.

"But you love this side of me don't you?" I breathed softly. "I don't have to hide anything or hold anything back."

"Alright, alright," Ezreal gave in but couldn't help smiling himself. "Alright, you little songbird."

I laughed once aloud and dropped my jaw, pretending to be offended. "Is that a way to call your girlfriend?"

"Alright babe." He emphasized the second word and I blushed immediately.

"What—that's too much for you now?" It was his turn to smirk. "Alright anyways, the black bag. All I'm going to say is that it's a surprise meant for a very special occasion in the near future."

I nodded in acknowledgement and approval.

"Ahh, I know what it's for now. Now go." I kissed him again on his lips then on his cheek. "Don't want to be late for your meeting now, do you?"

He smiled back at me. Oh god — I could die for that smile.

"Alright, my little songbird. I'll see you later."

* * *

 **Well said Ezreal.**

 **As he said, we'll see y'all later, one way or another ;)**

 **Peace!**


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